Arundel Publishing Company
by Ara May
Summary: Jess and Rory in New York City. "Is it still your dream to become a foreign correspondent?...You still want to be reporting from the trenches? From where all the action is?"  "Yes."  ""So tell me how things are different." "You and me, Jess!" Literati, Post-Series.
1. An Article in the New York Times

**Arundel Publishing Company**

Author: _Ara May_

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing.

A/N: This follows Gilmore Girls canon and starts in 2011, a myriad of flashbacks to fill in some blanks notwithstanding.

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><p><strong>Chapter One: An Article in the New York Times<strong>

Caroline was a stunning woman. Her dark tresses reached just past her clavicle. Her presence was always a welcome sight for him. This time was different though.

They had met at a book signing. She wasn't some crazed fan of his latest work another short novel (he actually did have those, God only knew why), a bittersweet story—he hated to call it anything related to love—about two people who never met, albeit their histories entwined a great deal. No, in fact Caroline was one of the haute society types who attended functions with one hand gripped on a glass of chardonnay at all times who worked in public relations. As he saw her approach, his lips curled into a smirk that was exclusively his: discreet at times, constantly oozing a feeling of sexy confidence. It was a reaction out of his control. Simultaneously, he felt his stomach drop. His thoughts quickly drifted to their first meeting.

_He had caught her staring. Her eyes began to sparkle as she realized he saw her. He was caught by surprise when they began to dart back at him in challenge instead of the usual evasive maneuvering that would usually accompany one when being caught checking somebody out. A blush didn't rise to her cheeks. He was intrigued. It was the first time she had seen that smirk of his._

_As he stood next to her, he watched as she downed the nearly full glass of her white wine in one gulp._

"_Alcoholic?" was the first word that escaped his mouth._

_She raised an eyebrow, a neatly manicured work of art. A sweet voice retorted with ease. "Recovering."_

"_Generally a problem in the society set I hear."_

"_A little presumptive, you think?" She used an index finger to push her glasses slightly up the bridge of her nose. Dark red in color and thick framed. Burberry._

"_Designer glasses," he eyed the black dress she was wearing, an obvious ruse that he was observing every curve of her body, "what looks to be a designer dress." He reached her eyes once more, brown and full of golden flecks, "I can only assume." He finished casually._

"_You gay?" Her expression was amused._

_He nearly scoffed. "Absolutely. That's why I came up to you when I caught you staring." He could see a slight blush finally creep into her tanned features. He continued, "Nah, ex-girlfriend. Really into fashion." He made a wave of his hands, signifying the fact that he really didn't give a shit._

"_And you paid attention?"_

_His smirk grew wider as his voice lowered an octave, "She provided the sex."_

_She grinned at his bluntness, revealing perfect teeth. "Definitely not gay then."_

_He leaned into her, huskily whispering into her ear. "It was really, really good sex." He watched as goose bumps rose over her revealed shoulder._

_She broke eye contact, the pull becoming too strong, and looked down at her wine glass. A mere drop remained. "I think I'm going to need another." It was said under her breath._

_She looked up to see a teasing smile. "Junkie."_

_An average, yet adorable laugh escaped her lips. Very full lips, he noticed. "Friends call me Caroline. Caroline Martin."_

"_Huh. Funny. My friends call me a douchebag."_

_She playfully slapped him like she had known him for years and he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rise at the contact. His smile grew wider, "Feisty." She gave him a stern look. "Name's Jess. Jess Mariano."_

_She rolled her eyes. "I prefer douchebag."_

Jess had known Caroline for a little over a year now. To say she enchanted him when they first met would be an understatement. An author of very few words—monosyllabic was the one word that those who had ever had a conversation with Jess described him as—he had grown up in New York City. When he was seventeen, his somewhat psychotic mother placed him under the care of his uncle in a loony bin town known as Stars Hollow. Following that stint, he escaped to California, briefly crashing with his never present father before heading back to the city he had grown up in. A job in publishing beckoned him to Philadelphia, as did the cheaper rent. Ultimately he found himself back to New York City, albeit in a nicer neighborhood with a roommate who most likely didn't have a warrant out for his arrest. One thing Stars Hollow had taught him was that he liked the anonymity of city life: Nobody was watching you, waiting for you to fuck up. One thing his life taught him was that it often came full circle.

"Hey there, you." She smiled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek in greeting.

"Hey."

"You haven't seen me in about two months and all you say is '_Hey_'?"

"You know me, say one thing while I briefly get my head around that torturous thing you're wearing." It was a tight fitting red dress with thick straps around the shoulders. It dipped enticingly low down her back and ended just above her knees. "Not to mention the fact that those heels are so high your feet are practically vertical."

She smiled and rolled her eyes, "This is nothing!"

"I wish you were wearing just that." It came out instinctually, like a bad habit. He forgot he was mad at her the second she greeted him and became irritated at himself when he found himself flirting with her.

"What's that?" She didn't quite catch on as quickly as she would have wished. He had already replied when she understood what he was saying.

"I like it when you're naked." He said it normal volume, almost trying to make things more awkward than they already were.

She chuckled but cut it short as it was forced out in the first place. "I was a little slow on that one."

He was able to bring up his walls and just shrugged. "So, how's Boston?"

"Historical." She panned, noticing the sudden drop of playfulness in his voice.

"That's what they say." A beat. "What brings you to my beloved city?"

"Oh you know, the usual. Conference. PR stuff." She started to twirl her hair as a distraction. "Heard they were throwing you a little party here."

"Fascinating." It was all he could muster to say. Yes, in some ways, he was happy to see her. Their relationship, if it could be considered a relationship at all, wasn't exactly exclusive in the last few months they were together. After dating solely seeing one another for six months she had decided that she was going to work for a PR firm in Boston and since they were to be based in two different cities they decided it would be better if they just ended what they had started. As much they cared for one another, they knew it wouldn't be fair to either of them to continue their romance when they were both so busy and didn't have the time to leave their respective cities on a regular basis. In the interim, there wasn't really a way to define whatever it was they were other than a 'friends with benefits' kind of situation. When he last saw her two months ago, she told him she had met someone. They hadn't done so much as talked since.

She looked him with sad eyes, "I've missed you."

He smirked at that one, "Good to hear."

"So…an article in the New York Times about you. Can you believe it?"

He smiled, proud of his accomplishment. "It's got a very surreal feeling to it. I can't say it's deserved though."

"You managed to get an article in the fucking New York Times, Jess! How can you say it's not deserved?"

He shrugged, "Had an in with the journalist."

Her smiling façade dropped, "Was she a she?"

"Excuse me?"

"The journalist. Was she a she?"

"Does it matter?"

"I don't know. If she is a she, then the whole having an in with the journalist can take a very gross turn."

He shook his head. "If you're that interested, yes she's a she. But no, I didn't sleep with her if that's where you're going with this"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean who I sleep with should be of no concern to you."

"You slept with me, that concerns me."

"Ah, but remember, you left. Therefore anybody else I've slept with since really has nothing to do with you."

"I'm the one who wanted to stay together, remember?"

He furrowed his brows together, "I really don't think this an appropriate time to have this conversation, Caroline." He gestured around to all of the guests at the party his publishing house was throwing for him while swiftly buttoning the coat of his suit. A moment passed where she looked at him, her eyes began to get glossy. He relented, "How long are you in town for?"

"Until tomorrow afternoon."

"Why don't you swing by my apartment before you leave? We can talk then. Without witnesses."

She took a step back from him, "If that's what you want."

"Well, sweetheart," his tone rose slightly, "I've been perfectly content not speaking to you at all the last two months, but since you show up out of the blue, I really have no choice. You know what they say, can't keep the chatty restrained."

She laughed slightly, "Who the hell says that?"

His face remained stoic, refusing to weaken by a laugh he had once fallen in love with, "I do. Now if you'll excuse me, the bar is over there if you're interested."

"I'll be by around noon?"

"Sure." He walked away and she watched as he approached a petite brunette who was standing around a bunch of men in business suits. Caroline looked over toward the bar before deciding it was best to just leave. Tomorrow, they would talk.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Mariano, may I say that this one just wrote you a spectacular review. You'll be on the Bestseller's List in no time!" Jacob Arundel announced as he reached over to put a hand on the brunette's shoulder momentarily. He was an older man with a pudgy face and an overgrown mustache. He owned the Arundel Publishing Company, the first enterprise Jess had found willing to publish one of his works in a quantity over five hundred copies.<p>

Brown eyes met blue as he replied. "They'll be surely disappointed when they realize her writing is a million times more impressive as mine." He watched as a deep blush invaded her freckled skin and she began to bite on her bottom lip, a nervous habit.

The mustached man seemed to ignore Jess and began to speak to the woman, "Miss Gilmore, I'm surprised you'd actually review something released by such a small publishing company."

"Well, Jess is an old friend, so of course I'd read it. Surprisingly one of the better works I've read this year. It deserved publicity." She gave Jess a look.

He arched an eyebrow, "Surprisingly? Now there's a low blow." She stuck her tongue out at him teasingly when she knew the older man was no longer looking, distracted by another man in a suit. He nudged his head to the side as she looked at him, indicated that she should trail him.

He walked toward the bar and instinctively knew that she was following him without once taking a look back. He ordered a vodka tonic and a second later could hear her voice, "Make that two, please." Always so polite.

"Well, Miss Gilmore, I believe I owe you some gratitude."

Her face scrunched up as the bartender gave them both their drinks. They walked a little ways from the bar, but still lingered close by. "Jess, please don't call me that." She was smiling at him.

"Alright, Lorelai." She glared at him and he put his hands up in mock fear, "I'd call you something else, but I remember how much you hated all those names I made up for you."

She rolled her eyes, "That was like eight years ago, and those names were so cutesy! If I ever told my mother about them, she'd probably be laughing her ass off until the day she died."

"Huh." He smirked. "Well _Rory_," the name slipped off his tongue with great ease, "thank you. You didn't have to."

"Of course I didn't have to. But seriously, one of the greatest things I've ever read. And we both know how much I read."

Her eyelashes were thickly coated in mascara, her eyes heavily lined as well. She had certainly matured into a woman, but the very essence of the girl he had met years ago was still there. "I just mean, we haven't spoken in…a while…and then I get a call from Jacob telling me about this raving review my book got in the Times! Then there's your name on the byline and I just…thank you."

She laughed, face smug. "Told you so."

He shook his head in disbelief. "You never did put away those pompoms."

"And you are a better man for it." She sipped on her drink and made a sour expression. "This is disgusting."

"Sorry, not everyone knows how to make the 'Rory.'" She shot him a confused expression. "Luke alluded. I got a kick out of it." He chuckled.

"Ah. So who was the girl? Girlfriend?" Her eyes questioned him with full confidence, almost like she was daring him to venture into fragile territory with her.

"Nice segue," he smirked. "Spying on me, Gilmore?"

"I'm a journalist, they pay me to be observant."

"True, but you review books. They pay you to do what you love. Mid-twenties and you've already landed your dream job. People should be envious."

"I blame my stubborn optimism." A beat. "So…"

"Her name's Caroline."

"She's pretty. Why'd she leave the party?"

"It's what she's good at."

"Ah, something you have in common." His face darkened, "I'm sorry…it just slipped."

"S'okay. I deserved that."

"No you didn't. It's been a long time. God knows I've done more than enough to get back at you." She looked down at her shoes and evened out a wrinkle in her dress. Her ability to go from confident to shy in a second was amazing. He thought back to last seeing her, at Luke and Lorelai's wedding two years ago. The time before that they had kissed when she came to see him in Philadelphia. That was five years ago. There were emails every now and then, but it had really been a long time since they'd actually come face to face.

They stood in silence as they both sipped at their drinks. It wasn't the least bit awkward. When their eyes met again, he looked at her with sincerity, "Truce?"

She full out laughed, "I feel like we're twelve."

"Give or take a few years," he quipped.

"Do I just say 'truce' or is a pinky swear required?"

"What would make you feel better?"

"I would definitely say that a pinky swear would make it more official."

He took her empty glass out of her hand and walked the few steps to the bar to set both now empty containers on the bar. As he walked back to her he held out his pinky, an amused grin gracing his features.

She held out her pinky and they joined their digits together. She closed her eyes as if making a wish. He shook his head at her ridiculousness but she couldn't see. "I pinky swear that Jess and I have a truce and that we're even now."

He scoffed as they let their hands fall to their sides and she opened her eyes. "You're six years old, I swear."

"Add twenty years and you're spot on, mister!" He kept smiling at her. "You smile a lot now."

"Huh. I must be a very happy boy."

"No, but seriously. You've dropped the angst."

"Hey, I still have angst. It's my prerogative as the brooding author type."

"Yeah, well there's less of it."

"Fair assessment, Gilmore."

There was a pause in their conversation, "So, Caroline…she your girlfriend?" He could tell she was biting the inside of her cheek as she asked.

"Oh look at the time! I have to go mingle… or something." He didn't care enough to make up an excuse. She knew what he was doing and he had no desire to lie to her.

"Unless hell has frozen over, you have no desire to talk to any of these people." Her lips formed a soft and knowing smile.

He sighed. "Tell you what, you let this go now and I promise I'll explain later."

"So, she's an ex? Just answer the question and I promise I won't say anything else about it tonight."

"Let it go…" He rolled his eyes.

"C'mon Jess. Little hint and I won't ask you for details until whenever this later thing comes."

He relented. "Yeah, she's an ex."

"Was that really that hard?"

"Not as hard as it is will be for you right now to drop the subject entirely." He smirked at her.

"But…"

"No."

"What if?"

"No." Jess said it with more authority this time, albeit it still had a tone of humor.

"Mean." She mock glared at him.

"No, mean would be me asking you about your love life."

Rory dropped her glared, "Okay, I'm done."

"How is Adam, by the way?"

"Okay this conversation is done." She glanced at her watch, "Waving my white flag. I should get going at any rate."

"You're being evasive."

"True as that might be, it's actually pretty late."

"You live close by?"

"A couple blocks."

"I'll walk you." He offered nonchalantly. 


	2. A Past Uncertainty

**Chapter Two: A Past Uncertainty **

_The Dragonfly Inn was immaculately decorated, the last detail planned in such a whimsical and quirky manner that it screamed Lorelai Gilmore. A simple ribbon of dark purple silk hugged the white lilies that were sitting on the reception desk and throughout the interior of the inn._

_Rory was standing in the foyer, her slim figure fitting nicely into the strapless bridesmaid dress (also of that deep purple color that Lorelai took forever to choose). Conversing with Miss Patty with a taller man with dirty blonde hair standing idly by, she turned her head allowing for a figure in the dining room to catch her eye._

_Miss Patty was quick to notice this movement, "Rory, honey. What is it?" Rory shifted her attention back to the woman as quickly as possible, as if startled by the sudden reemergence into the real world. Miss Patty caught where her gaze had just been. "It's been a while, hasn't it sweetheart?"_

"_Yeah." She looked back over at the figure in the distance that was casually standing next to the groom, beer in hand. Her reply came out slightly above a whisper as memories of their last meeting rapidly flowed through her head._

"_Who is that?"_

_Rory looked back toward her company: Adam Gregerson. They had been seeing each other for a few months, meeting as a friend of a friend the year before. Words didn't seem able to form, something Miss Patty took notice of. "Oh, that's just Jess! Nothing to worry about. He's old news, isn't he Rory?"_

_Realizing that she really hadn't said anything since noticing Jess, Rory looked up at Adam with a weak smile, "Of course. That's Luke's nephew. We're old friends. Haven't seen him in a while…" She began to ramble and stopped herself._

"_Ex-boyfriend, huh?" Adam looked at Rory, a sparkle in his pale blue eyes._

_Rory looked somewhat relieved, "Yeah."_

"_Can we meet?"_

_She began to fiddle with her hair, "You want to meet him?"_

"_Sure, why not?"_

"_Um, okay. Sure." They began to walk toward Jess and Luke, Rory giving a slight wave to Miss Patty as they walked away._

_Jess took a sip from his beer as Luke ranted about the possibility of the diner burning down in the forthcoming week that he was going to leave Cesar in charge. He had also mentioned something about cold bananas that Jess didn't quite understand._

"_You worry too much." They were the first words she had heard him speak in three years. A sudden rush of time flooded her memory. Of course she had seen him at the wedding, but they hadn't had a chance to speak until now. He was too busy to involve himself in all the preparation activities the weeks prior, despite being the best man. He only arrived in town early that morning. Luke didn't mind. It was always great to see his nephew._

_Rory and Adam were close enough to join the two men at that moment. She bit her lip. Adam placed his hand on the small of her back._

_She turned to Luke first, "Hi, Luke!" She gave him a small hug that she knew would generally make him uncomfortable. "I can't believe it! Finally!"_

_He chuckled, "Finally, definitely finally."_

_Smiling back at him she turned her attention to Jess. Her voice came soft as she smiled. "Hi, Jess."_

_Jess raised his caramel colored bottle at her, "Rory." He took a swig._

_She offered a small smile, "It's good to see you." A beat. "Oh, um.. this is Adam. Adam this is Jess."_

_Adam stuck his hand out for a shake. Jess merely nodded his head at the slightly-taller man._

_Luke, a man usually known for his obliviousness, could even feel the tension. "I'm going to go find Lorelai." He leaned into Jess and spoke softly, "Good luck." Jess grinned. Luke began to walk away but turned around a couple of strides later, "Good to see you again, Adam."_

_Adam beamed a perfect smile, "Same."_

* * *

><p>"You don't have to walk me." Rory stated as they were both already outside, bundled in coats to protect themselves from the cool winter weather.<p>

"A little too late." He made a gesture. "We're outside. We're walking. Probably safe to assume a destination is in mind."

"You know what I meant."

Jess looked at her and offered a pleased look before looking straight ahead. "Huh."

She stopped. "What?" It was asked with a sense of joy, full of curiosity.

"Nothing." He followed suit and stopped as well.

"C'mon, Jess. Tell me."

He stuck his hands in his front pants pockets and began teetering back and forth on his heels. "It's nice to see you. Been a while." She swept her hair out of her face and tucked some loose strands behind her ears. She looked down at her shoes: Simple heels, peep toe. "You're blushing." His voice made her eyes snap up to meet his.

"Am not." She started walking forward again. Fast. "But it's nice to see you too."

"You're defining evasive as we speak." He was right behind her.

"It's cold, my apartment's two feet away."

"Still stubborn I see." He cocked his head as she took out her key.

Putting the key into the lock, "You've met my mother. You know. Same eyes. Same stubborn attitude. I'm the spitting image, you know, with a slightly higher grasp on reality."

"I recall." He smiled.

She smiled back, "Thanks for walking me."

"I was hoping we could talk some more."

"Oh," She genuinely looked surprised. He was more honest than she remembered, "Do you want to come inside? Have some coffee?"

"I really should get back to the party."

"Right. Sometime soon then?"

He nodded, "You free soon? We could maybe do dinner...you know, food in front of us so we can distract ourselves when it gets too awkward." He let out a small chuckle.

"I'd like that." Rory beamed. "Let me see your phone."

He arched an eyebrow, "Gonna read my dirty texts?"

"You're ridiculous." He handed her his phone and she started pressing buttons. "My number's in there now. So contact me with the details."

"No dirty texts, I take it?"

"Probably too soon, I'd say." She crossed her arms over her chest. They stood feet away from one another. She offered him a smile, "Good night, Jess."

"Night, Rory."

* * *

><p><em>Fifteen minutes later,<em> _Adam got a call and excused himself from the awkward situation. Jess and Rory were now alone._

"_I think he may be the first boyfriend of yours that I actually like."_

"_I didn't ask you to like him. You're not in charge of my dowry." Rory rolled her eyes. "At any rate, you don't even like him. I can tell." She laughed._

"_Hey, I could like him. He didn't spend all that time glaring at me. Your other suitors liked to do that." He was teasing her._

_She smiled at that, "Sorry about this. He said he wanted to meet you…it's all very awkward."_

_He shrugged, "Like I said, it is what it is."_

"_I still feel bad for…"_

"_It's old news, Rory." He cut her off with a wave of his hand._

"_I'm still sorry."_

* * *

><p>It was late when Jess finally arrived at his apartment. He loosened his tie, slipped off his shoes and padded into the kitchen. He made his way to the large bag of potato chips on the small island.<p>

He could see his roommate passed out in the adjacent living room (in reality, the bulk of the apartment was one room where a kitchen, sitting area, and dining room table served their intended purposes in a loft-like atmosphere). The table lamp was on and there were bottles of beer scattered on the coffee table.

Jess nudged him with his foot, simultaneously taking a handful of chips out of the bag, and the man stirred.

"Hey, Pete."

The man rubbed his eyes and stretched. Dark stubble was apparent on his features, "Ugh."

Jess sat down next to him on the couch. A worn-out thing, comfortable in its own right. "Wasn't aware I was living with a caveman. You've been moping around all week. What's the deal?"

"Headache…"

Jess gestured toward the cluttered coffee table, "I can see why."

"Yup." He got up and lumbered into the kitchen. Reaching into the pantry, he took out the bottle of aspirin.

Jess turned around on the couch to look at him, "Seriously, man. You look terrible."

"El and I broke up." Peter admitted while staring at the sink, waiting for his glass to fill with water. He popped two pills and turned around to face Jess. Slightly muscular arms supported him as he leaned against the counter.

Jess' eyes widened. "Eleanor? Pretty blonde. The one you've been with since college?"

Peter rolled his eyes, "That's the one."

"Fuck, I'm sorry…"

Peter was staring at his feet. "I really thought she could have been it."

"Most do." Jess shrugged. "Until it's over."

Peter shuffled for something in his pocket. Retrieving it, he tossed it as Jess. "No, I _really _thought she could have been it."

Jess opened the small box containing a ring: Small, silver, encrusted with diamonds. "Jesus…"

"Yup." Peter got two beers from the fridge and sat back down next to Jess. Twisting off the cap of the first bottle he handed it to Jess before opening one for himself. "Told me she had feelings for this guy who works in her IT department."

Jess watched as his roommate took a mouthful of ale. He followed suit and they sat in silence. "Caroline showed up at the thing tonight."

"What'd she want?"

Jess simply shrugged. "She's swinging by tomorrow so we can talk or whatever."

Peter raised an eyebrow, "Do you need me to be gone when she's here?"

"I'd prefer it if you were here." Another sip.

"Still hung up on her, eh?"

"It was nice to see her…" Jess trailed before finishing the rest of his beer in one gulp.

* * *

><p>Jess looked at the clock. <em>11:55<em>. Five minutes. He wasn't particularly anal about the time, but knowing Caroline, she was punctual to the second. The living room was still covered in beer bottles and other random foodstuffs Peter and him had grabbed the night before. He had thought about cleaning up but decided it better if it looked as if her presence would not affect him in any way, especially when it came to housekeeping.

_12:00. _On the dot, a buzz echoed through the apartment. "Deep breaths, man." Peter announced from his room. Jess walked over to the door and buzzed her in. He unlocked the door and went to sit on one of the stools in front of the island where his coffee sat steaming.

A minute later, there was a knock on the door, "Come in."

Caroline smiled as she walked in. Her face only lightly covered in makeup, her dark brown hair placed in a messy bun on the top of her head, her favorite pair of prescription glasses perched high on the bridge of her nose. She was wearing simple blue jeans and a white T-shirt. Her look was effortless, although Jess knew everything she was wearing must have been expensive despite this. "Hey." She sat down on the stool next to him.

Jess sipped at his coffee before replying. He was still wearing the sweatpants and wrinkled T-shirt he had changed into for bed. Behind his mug, he smirked ever so slightly at their different ideas of casual dress. "Hi."

"So…" She was looking down at her hands as they wrung one another in her lap.

"Yes?"

She let out a small laugh, "You're not even going to help me out here, are you?"

"I told you last night I had nothing to talk about. So if you want to talk, I'm here, I'm listening. That's all I can offer." Anger laced his words as each syllable bounced from tongue to teeth.

Her voice came out small as she continued to look at her lap and not him, "I don't know how you can be so mad at me when we weren't even together…"

He took a hand and lifted her chin so that she was looking at him, "I…" he could feel the honesty ready to pour out. "After we broke up, things kind of stayed the same, you know? And then you tell me you met this guy." He dropped his hand from her face and returned it to its place, gripping around his coffee.

"We were broken up, Jess…"

"It still didn't feel that way to me. My feelings, they never changed. When we were still getting…together…I still…"

"Still what?" Her eyes glowed although the complete brilliance of her features were dimmed by the fluorescent lighting in the apartment.

"Still loved you." His voice came out as a mumble and he lifted his coffee to his lips to further distract himself from what he had just admitted.

Caroline stared at him until he set the mug down. He returned her gaze. "You loved me?" He just nodded and she reached out for his hand. "Do you still…?"

He stared into her eyes for what seemed like an eternity. His thoughts creating a million answers for that one, unfinished question. Y_es. No. I don't know. Does it matter? _Bingo. He settled on his final thought, a typical method of his: Answering a question he didn't want to answer with another question. "Does it matter?" He moved his hand away from hers.

Jess watched as her eyes darkened, "I don't know. I'd like to think so." Her words were always so articulate, always so thoughtful.

"No." He lied through his teeth. Was it even a lie? He wasn't sure.

"No?"

"No, I don't." He said it with more confidence, hoping that it was the truth.

"Alright, then. I guess I should go."

Jess turned his attention back to his coffee and nodded a good-bye. She stood up and walked toward the foyer. A second later, the only evidence of her presence disappeared with the click of the closing door.

Enamored with the staring contest he was having with his beverage, Jess hardly heard Peter approach. He snapped to reality as Peter opened the fridge. "She wasn't here very long."

"She always was very straight to the point." Jess got up and stuck his mug in the sink to wash later.

"Did you lie to her?"

"I don't know."

"Are you going to find out?"

"I don't know."


	3. A Common Denominator

**Chapter Three: A Common Denominator **

A few days later, Jess was sitting in his room at his desk. A stack of books a foot high had been set on a pile of notebooks creating quite the obstruction to the small desk light making it virtually useless.

Jess' room was small, the makings of a comfortable space despite having no availability for natural lighting. When they had moved in, Peter gave Jess the option of the two rooms. They were both equal in dimensions, one was adjacent to the street and had a window, the other to the inside corridor: A ten-by-ten box of complete solitude when need be. He was typing vigorously at his laptop, useless words strung into sentences that, perhaps when put into a proper order, would turn into another novel. He lacked ambition for anything of great length; however, Jess always thought length wasn't of great importance when it came to literature. _Get on with what you want to say and move on_.

He came to a dead stop as an old copy of _The_ _New York Times _caught his eye. It was from last week. He hadn't read her article yet, probably a sign of his ability to be impolite at times. In all honesty, her opinion meant the most and to have it there for all the world to read scared the shit out of him. He thumbed through the pages, finding the right section and there it was: Bold print announced its existence, a byline reading _Rory Gilmore _printed neatly underneath. A couple lines down he saw his own name, surrounded by high praise. Seeing their names so close, he hadn't felt as connected to that girl—that woman—in years. Rory Gilmore and Jess Mariano, mentioned in the Times simultaneously. They had both made something out of their lives, that much was obvious.

A stock photo of the cover of his book accompanied a picture of her next to the article. Her blue eyes lit up even in black and white as the beaming smile she offered the photographer was enough to capture her happiness. He began to read:

_"Continuing his quest into the complexities of character development, Jess Mariano works his way to create a world in his The Awakening that very few relatively authors, new or old, could even hope to manage. While his protagonist is devoid of emotion (a likely tool to help the reader make their own minds of which characters to fall in love with), his antagonist is written in a complex manner that has the capability of making you root for the jaded young man. This is all despite subtle clues provided by Mr. Mariano that hint that this is something of a bad idea. It brings to the readers a question concerning perspective. Depending on personal preference, you're almost given a choice to choose your own hero. The certain traits of the antagonist have the ability to remind one of a quirky sarcasm and insanity comparable to the great Holden Caulfield..."_

He smiled after he finished reading the article. It was so quintessentially Rory. Everything throughout their relationship—romantic and otherwise—could always be described through the simple and complex flow of words: Words as they were written in the margins of borrowed books, words as they were unspoken in the haunting eyes (both empty and sad) on a bus going through Hartford so many years ago, words written as a dedication in his first novel expressing gratitude to the two people who always believed, words as they were written in the article sitting before him.

For them, words weren't necessarily always verbal. Jess' monosyllabic tendencies made that near impossible, despite Rory's inherited trait of speaking a mile a minute. He blamed the caffeine. His mind drifted quickly to wondering whether or not she was still as addicted as she once was.

Jess stood up and walked toward his messenger bag that was sitting aloof on the edge of his unmade bed. Taking out his cell phone (nothing fancy by any standard), he scrolled down to her name. He debated for a moment whether to just call her or send her a text. He feared the awkwardness of a conversation on the phone and ultimately decided on the latter. Calloused fingers slid across the numeric keypad at moderate speed: '_Hey. Just read your article.'_

* * *

><p>At the office situated in her cubicle, Rory was working on her next review. Similar to the article written about Jess and his book, the current author she was reviewing was also fairly young and relatively unknown. She had come up with the idea of dedicating a month to authors who were mostly new and her editor had thought it was a brilliant idea. Having recently visited Stars Hollow, Luke had told her about the release of Jess' new book and she went to pick up a copy immediately. Falling in love with his characters, it was his book that made her suggest reviewing such authors. Under normal circumstances, it was her editor choosing the books for her to review, but after Rory's insistence and some mumblings about how great variety was, Rory got the green light.<p>

Five o'clock rolled around just as Rory put the final touches on her article. She stopped by her editors' office and dropped off the draft before heading out into the busy streets. She pulled out her phone which indicated a few unread text messages and one missed call from her mother. She decided to listen to the message first and then scrolled through the texts. She couldn't help but smile when she realized one was from Jess.

'_You just read it today? I'm hurt.' _She slipped her phone in her pocket and continued her walk toward her apartment, briefly wondering what she could scrounge up for dinner.

With her apartment just a block away, she felt a light vibration in her pocket. Mentally deciding she'd check her phone when she got out of the cold, Rory's pace quickened without her realizing. Once inside, she started the climb to third floor, whipping out her phone. It was another message from Jess: '_You know me, always the procrastinator. Speaking of which, you free tonight?'_

She decided it would be unwise to text him back while in a battle with the steep mountain ahead of her so she simply clinched the phone in her hand as she ascended to her floor. Once she got there, she began to reply as she stood outside her apartment door. _'Despite your last minute inquiry, I'll take the risk of embarrassing myself to tell you I'm completely free.' _Before Rory could hit send, one of her neighbors darted into the hallway looking somewhat frazzled as she closed her door and began to lock the deadbolt.

"Jesus El, you almost gave me a heart attack!" Rory placed her free hand over her heart for good dramatic effect.

The blonde woman smiled as she flipped around to face her. "I s'pose that's your fault for standing in the hallway, Ror." Her tone was teasing.

Rory held up her phone, "I was distracted." Rory looked over the text one more time before sending it off.

Eleanor smiled back, "Adam trying to worm his way back?"

Rory rolled her eyes, "He's the one who broke up with me, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. But it's really the only reason I could think of for why you had the goofy grin on your face when I came out here."

"Goofy grin?" Rory shook her head, "You're on crack. Not that you would have had time to notice since you came out here at 60 miles per hour."

Eleanor's eyes widened, "Oh yeah! I'm late, I forgot!"

"Plans with Peter?" Rory inquired casually.

Eleanor's expression dropped, "Oh no. Um, we broke up last week."

"Wow…I'm sorry. I guess we haven't had time to talk in a couple weeks."

"Yeah, it's been crazy. Maybe we can do a movie night sometime soon. Catch up?" The blonde put her keys in her purse and adjusted her scarf.

"That'd be great." Rory beamed, "Maybe then you can explain to me what you're late for right now and why you're so dolled up."

Eleanor laughed, "Maybe. Anyway, I'm off! Wish me luck!"

She was down the flight of stairs before Rory could even say goodbye. Rory plunged into her bag to find her keys (she questioned why she decided put them back in there after getting into the building). Once she found them, she pushed open to the door to her small apartment.

Just as she sat her stuff down on the small table, her phone began to vibrate. Rory ignored it as she walked into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee but stopped when she realized she was getting a call and it wasn't just a text. She rushed back over to the table to answer, "Wow. You're calling. How very twentieth-century of you."

Rory could almost see his eyes rolling on the other end as he responded, "It's a dying art. Just trying to add some real human contact to our conversation. Make sure I wasn't talking to a robot or anything."

She smiled with the phone cradled between her ear and her shoulder as she returned to her coffee maker, "Hey, Jess."

"Hey."

A beat passed. "So you just called to say, 'Hey'?"

"No, I called to ask if you wanted to grab a bite tonight." He deadpanned.

She raised an eyebrow, "Is that you asking?" She couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"Is that you saying yes?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Evasive, ladies and gentleman." Rory felt a slight blush invade her features for an unknown reason.

She heard him let out a breath, "Want to go to dinner with me tonight? Do that catching up thing we were talking about?"

She felt butterflies rise in her stomach and mentally scolded herself. "Yeah. Sounds good."

"Good." He repeated.

"Great, really."

"Uh-huh…"

"Fantastic." She heard him chuckle on the other end. "I should hang up now before I run out of adjectives."

"I'll swing by around seven. That okay?"

"Sounds good…I mean great. Okay I'm going to go now before I embarrass myself any further."

She could hear his smile if that was even possible, "See you soon, Rory."

Rory poured herself some coffee and glanced down at her watch. It was already almost six. In a rush, she swallowed the majority of her coffee in one gulp, somehow forgetting it was fresh until it scalded her going down her throat. Wincing, she dashed into her room to find something to wear.

After frantically rummaging through her closet, she decided on some dark washed jeans and an oversized wool sweater that hung off her right shoulder in a very current '_a la mode' _kind of way. She changed out of her work clothes and got dressed before heading to the adjacent bathroom.

Looking at her reflection, Rory made a face before deciding to re-apply her makeup. Tossing her hair into a quick bun, she started the water to get it to the right temperature. Once it was warm, she wet her face and gently applied her facial cleanser, rinsed it off and started on her makeup. She had remembered Jess' penchant for the 'natural' look and became slightly irritated at herself as she used only a small amount of mascara on her lashes and left her eyeliner relatively thin. Happy with the results, she let her hair down and felt satisfied leaving it untouched.

By then, it was only 6:30 so she decided to flip on the television to pass the time.

* * *

><p>Getting off the phone with Rory, Jess emerged from his room for the first time that day (somehow managing to skip meals). He had made a lot of progress on whatever ramblings he was working on. After he had read Rory's article, things started flowing more quickly.<p>

Peter was sitting on the couch flipping through channels, a beer in his hand. "You know, this whole moping around the apartment all day probably isn't healthy."

"And hiding in your room all day is?" Peter was quick to reply.

"I'm working."

"Sitting in that cave of yours in front of a computer gives me no indication that you're working. For all I know, you could be jerking off to porn."

"Very funny."

Peter finally turned around to look at Jess who was leaning on one of the walls in the hallway. "Wanna hit up a bar tonight?"

"Sorry man, I have plans."

Peter stuck out his lip mockingly, "And here I thought you wanted me to get out of the apartment."

"I do. I just can't babysit you while you're doing it tonight."

Grinning, "Okay, fine. Word of advice before you leave though?"

"What?"

"Take a shower. You look like shit."

* * *

><p>"You know, this sounded like a much better idea when it was all hypothetical." Rory admitted just as they were served their food.<p>

"You're just mad I told you about Caroline, and now you have to spill."

"I honestly didn't think you were going to tell me." Rory faux-pouted before taking a bite into her burger. "Albeit the condensed version."

Jess smirked, "I said all there was that needed to be said."

Rory attempted to drop her voice a couple octaves as she began to mimic him, "'Caroline and I dated. But then she left. But we were still kind of together. Then she met another guy. End of story.'"

He rolled his eyes as he reached for his soda, "I really hope I don't sound like that."

"I may have exaggerated a bit."

He shook his head with a bemused smile while dipping a fry into his salt-and-pepper dip. "So, Adam…"

"You're prodding."

"Yes ma'am."

"Fine. You get the condensed version."

"Fine by me."

"Adam and I dated. End of story."

"Wow…and award for the least invigorating love story ever goes to…"

Rory interrupted him, "It's more complicated than that."

"I'm intrigued…"

"It just…I don't know how to say it. It's not the first time it's happened. It should be pretty clear. Easy to explain, I mean." Her voice became small, "With Dean, with Logan, with Adam…"

"Is there some sort of common denominator I'm missing here?" He watched as her expression went glum. "Rory…"

She cleared her throat, "After my mom and Luke's wedding, things started to go bad. He told me he loved me that day. For the first time. After we had been talking to you."

Jess offered her a smile, "That doesn't sound so bad."

"It wasn't. I don't think. If he had good intentions for saying it…"

"What's that mean?"

"When you came to Stars Hollow and we became friends, Dean started getting really possessive. He was scared he was going to lose me to you."

Jess couldn't help but smirk, "He did."

She smiled for the first time since starting her story, "So not the point."

"Carry on." He waved his hand through the air nonchalantly.

"That night you came to Hartford and we had that awful dinner with Logan…"

"Don't remind me."

"Well, when I went back inside he and I got into a fight. He told me to run off with you. _Apparently _that's when Logan and I broke up the first time. He was under that impression, anyhow." Her tone was now bitter.

"That's when he cheated." He nodded slowly as he began to feel really sorry for her.

"That's when he cheated." Rory repeated. "Anyhow, Adam told me he loved me and there was a part of me that wondered whether he just said it because he met you…"

"Ah…"

Rory covered her face in her hands. "It sounds really stupid."

"It's not…"

She removed her hands and he could see her blush as she began to ramble. "No. It is. I let that small thought become a really big thought and it started to consume me. I never said it back because I didn't think he meant it."

"And that strained the relationship?"

"It was probably just all bad timing. I tried to rationalize. He said it because we were at a wedding, what more romantic place to confess your love than at a wedding, right?"

"If you say so…" Jess chuckled, finding time to eat his burger while she spoke.

She smiled despite herself, "It can all be summarized pretty well by just saying I fucked it up."

Jess' eyes widened, "I forgot you're a big kid and can swear now."

Rory narrowed her eyes as she reached for a fry, "Shut up." He started to laugh. "What now?"

"You think I ruined all your relationships." He was amused.

She rolled her eyes, "I didn't say that."

"Yeah, you basically did."

She tried to backtrack, "I said that maybe you played a _factor _in the demise of all my relationships. You have wonderful timing."

He put his hands up in defense, "I can't help that you still want me."

She produced a dry laugh and threw a fry in his face, "Funny. I can't help that you're a jerk."

They both smiled at one another and began to finish their meal in happy company.


	4. An Adventure in Matchmaking

**Chapter Four: An Adventure in Matchmaking **

Jess returned to his apartment after dropping Rory off. It was still relatively early and pushing the door open he wasn't even surprised to see Peter in the same spot. He raked a hand through his hair, "Jeez, man. Move much?"

Peter directed his gaze away from the television where an infomercial for steak knives was announcing promises and looked toward his roommate. "You're just jealous your daddy didn't leave you a trust fund to bum around on," He stated with a sly smile.

Jess rolled his eyes, "You're bored out of your mind, you know it. The prodigal son wasting his potential to drink beer all day and consider buying shitty products off TV."

Peter shrugged, "Law office wasn't really doing it for me."

"And amplifying the definition of 'sloth' is working for you?"

"I've got nothing to do."

"That's barely an excuse."

"What would you rather I be doing?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "Just something. Get out of this apartment. I don't care, just don't become a hermit." Peter looked at Jess but had no reply. It was obvious his break up with Eleanor was affecting him greatly. The last two weeks Peter had been on that couch, probably making a dent in the cushions. "When was the last time you showered?" Jess inquired and Peter started to think about it. "Yeah, way too long, man. How about you go clean up so you don't smell like your dirty socks and we can go out and grab a drink?"

Peter's demeanor peaked, "Really?"

Jess nudged his head toward their bathroom, "Before I change my mind."

* * *

><p>Rory entered her apartment building with a goofy grin on her face that stayed plastered there as she trekked up the narrow stairs. She was adamant in convincing herself that said face was gracing her features because it felt good to have her friend back. <em>Her old friend, Jess<em>. She liked the sound of that. Just as she had reached the first floor landing, she heard the door to the entrance open and close. She jumped at the intrusion, her senses assailing her as her body went on alert. She turned around to see Eleanor beam a smile up at her. False alarm.

"Rory!" the young woman greeted as she nearly ran up the first flight of steps to reach her neighbor, "I feel should feel honored! And I do!" Her blonde hair was more frazzled than it had been a few hours earlier. Rory mentally took not of this, but didn't want to make any assumptions.

Rory chuckled, "Sometimes I feel like it's just you and me living in this building."

"That's what we get for living in a complex full of old ladies and their cats," she stated as they both started to walk up the steps.

"Don't exaggerate. I'm sure Mr. Lopez would not like to be categorized as such."

They reached their floor, "You're right. It's a little presumptive of me."

"We should stop mocking. Maybe we're just anti-social," Rory received a pointed glance from Eleanor at that comment. "Okay, well, maybe I'm anti-social."

"You have been giving off that loner vibe lately. Kinda weird with the whole pop-culture quip-y thing you usually have going. Your social skills are going to waste!"

Rory smiled softly, "I've just been busy. But I happened to just get back from dinner with an old friend. I can't be _that _much of a loner, now can I?"

Eleanor's features perked. "Was that the same person you were texting earlier? Oh my god, it's a boy, isn't it?"

She shook her head in amusement, "I don't think the hallway is the best place to do gossip. Think about what Mr. Lopez would say!"

"Frankly, I'm more worried about the cats!"

Rory let out a full laugh, "Tell you what, how about you just come over. We can do that movie night. Gossip included."

"Sounds perfect! Let me just drop off my stuff real quick and I'll be over in ten!"

* * *

><p>The pub they entered had an austere quality. Jess liked it better that way: Bar, tables, alcohol. Simple. Nearly everybody in the dark room had a wraith like quality, separated from their own bodies as they drank into oblivion. Drunken banter was like a dirge formed out of personal discontent. There were two open seats at the bat and Jess and Peter moved to occupy them. The bartender asked what they wanted. Jess vacillated between hard alcohol and beer until ultimately deciding a moment later on getting what was on tap of the dark brew. Peter ordered the same.<p>

The young man with incardinate-colored stubble who barely looked twenty-one sitting to Jess' left took liberty to go on a bombastic diatribe about how hard liquor was the way to go. He reeked of whisky and Jess ignored him as a dilettante.

The bartender handed Peter and Jess their ale. Jess took a sip, "So…"

"Is this part where we start having a heart to heart about how I'm wasting my life away?"

He shrugged, "I could care less what you do. It's not my business."

Peter grinned, "You care. I thought you were past the whole 'I don't give a fuck' attitude."

Jess sighed, "It's just been two weeks, man. It's depressing to watch you sulk. You need to get yourself out there before it turns into a complete loss of hope." The guy sitting next to him was making no effort to pretend he wasn't eavesdropping. Jess rolled his eyes.

Peter took a big swig, "Your judgments are a little hypocritical. The first month after Caroline left you did the exact same thing. You of all people should understand. It's not some complicated esoteric issue. I'm…I was in love with her. That doesn't just go away."

"I've always been a homebody. You were one of the most gregarious people I know. That's the difference."

"If I knew this was going to be an inquest into my habits, I wouldn't have agreed to come."

Another sip, "Yeah right. You were _dying _to get out of there," he began to joke. "You basically jumped in the air and clicked your heels together, overwrought at the prospect."

Where Jess' glass was still half full, Peter finished his off. "Your adjectives are out of control. Author boy spent too much time locked up today."

"I could just stay quiet and watch you fidget if it would make you feel better. Plus you're forgetting I did go out for air."

"I recall. I was trying not to ask about it."

"Why?"

"You're not usually the type to come home and get real chatty."

Jess shrugged, "You can ask me stuff if you want. No promises that I'll answer, but no harm done if you ask."

"So where'd you go tonight? See Caroline?"

"God, no."

Peter draped a hand over his roommate's shoulder and Jess immediately shrugged it off. "Still hung up on her I see."

"More of a 'I want to pretend she doesn't exist' thing."

Peter grinned knowingly, "We've all been there." The bartender walked by and he ordered both men another round.

"I was out with my old friend Rory."

"The chick that wrote the article about your book?"

"Yup."

"Someone's back to his monosyllabic ways," he observed as the bartender gave them fresh glasses of brew.

"Sorry." Jess took a sip before continuing, "Have you ever found it strange that 'monosyllabic' has so many syllables?" He shook his head in fake amusement as his eyes got wide, "That's just plumb crazy."

"You know, even when we're talking about Caroline I get more of a response from you. This Rory girl has always been a mystery."

He raked a hand through his hair, "Point?"

"Just an observation."

Jess sighed heavily, "What do you want to know?"

* * *

><p>"You know, I think it's kind of weird that I never met Peter. I mean, we've both been living in this apartment building for over a year, and you guys were together forever, it's just kind of strange." Rory grabbed the bag of popcorn out of the microwave and poured into a large bowl.<p>

"We kept to ourselves, mostly."

Rory handed Eleanor a soda as she sat down on the small sofa laying the bowl of popcorn in her lap, "I've still never even seen him. Tell me that's not weird."

"He didn't come over here very much. These apartments are shoeboxes," she gestured toward the small room, "He had a roommate, but he kept to himself. Apartment was three times the size so it worked out."

"Makes sense then," Rory picked up the remote to start the movie. "Would it be too much to ask what happened between you guys?"

Eleanor brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, "It's kind of complicated. Well, no it's not. But I…I freaked out so I lied to him. And ugh… I just don't know."

"You're babbling," Rory turned down the volume on the television.

"Okay," she took a breath. "A couple weeks ago, I was staying over at Peter's for the night, he was snoring and I had too much caffeine that day so I was obviously wide awake and decided to sneak into his living room so I could maybe grab a book and read until I got tired. His roommate is a total book nerd and the living room has these great bookshelves full of books…"

"Now you're deviating," she said pointedly with a smile. "But the bookshelves sound amazing."

"They are pretty impressive," Eleanor smiled before continuing. "When I came out in the living room, his roommate was up doing something on his computer…"

_Jess looked up from his laptop to see Peter's girlfriend staring at him, "Hi."_

"_Hey," she returned his greeting._

"_You can sit, I'm not going to bite."_

_Eleanor offered him a smile as she took a seat in the adjacent lounge chair, "I don't see you much around here."_

"_My room has less distractions."_

"_Pete said you were a writer or something."_

_A soft smile played at Jess' lips, "Or something. Sounds about right."_

"_I couldn't sleep," she answered the unasked question._

_Jess nodded, "Sorry I'm not much of a conversationalist."_

"_That's okay," Eleanor smiled. "What are you working on?"_

"_A piece of shit," he deadpanned._

"_New novel?"_

"_Good to know the power of alliteration is not lost," Jess chuckled, "Yeah."_

"_So I take it's going well?"_

"_There's just a lot of pressure."_

"_Why's that?"_

"_You ask a lot of questions," Jess shook his head, amused. "The publishing company I work for is throwing me a party next week. My last book got featured in the New York Times. So, definite pressure."_

_She was suddenly looking off into space, "I sure know about pressure."_

_Jess arched a brow, "Care to elaborate? Not to prod or anything..."_

"_You won't say a word to him?" She nudged her head toward Peter's bedroom._

_Jess paused before replying, "I think that goes against official roommate laws, but I can keep a secret."_

"_Pete and I have been together for a long time now. Since freshman year of college."_

_He blinked, "I'm aware."_

"_And I don't know. I'm almost twenty-six and we've been together since we were nineteen."_

_She looked at him, waiting for him to say something. Anything. "I'm not exactly the psychiatrist type. But forgive me if I still have no idea what you're talking about."_

"_Two years ago I promised myself that if he didn't propose in a year I would take it as a sign that we weren't supposed to be together."_

"_Ah," he raked a hand through his hair uncomfortably. "Two years ago?"_

"_I love him so much. I gave him an extra year. I just need that commitment, you know?"_

"_And you don't think he's going to give you it?"_

"_It's been seven years."_

_Jess shrugged, "Guys are slow, just give him time. If you're happy with him, why ruin that because he hasn't proposed yet?"_

"So you talked to his roommate and he said that you're being completely insane and to ride it out?" Rory repeated.

"Exactly that," Eleanor paused, "And two days later I broke up with him."

Rory's brow furrowed in confusion, "But…why?"

"I don't know! I was completely irrational. I should have listened to Jess, but I had already lost all hope and then all of a sudden I found myself lying to him about some imaginary guy who works with me. I told him I had feelings for this other guy."

Rory's thoughts froze at hearing Jess' name. She gained her composure as she saw Eleanor's eyes start to tear up, "Oh, El…" Rory paused the movie and began to rub Eleanor's back, "What were you dressed up for tonight?"

"I went on a date," she sniffled. "The whole time I just felt like I was cheating on him. I messed up, Rory. I messed up so bad." She leaned her head on the brunette's shoulder as she began to full out cry.

* * *

><p>"So, Rory's your Eleanor."<p>

Jess finished off his third beer, "Am I supposed to know what that means?"

"She's _it _for you. Sure, Caroline and you were compatible. But Rory, she's your soul mate."

"And you're officially drunk."

"I've been drinking for a week straight, you really think three beers are going to put me over the edge?"

Jess shook his head, "Nope. But in one sentence you managed to infer that El and you belong together as much as Rory and I do. But you're missing something."

"What's that?"

"You're not with El anymore, and I haven't been with Rory since we were eighteen."

"Do you have a point?"

"Aren't soul mates supposed to be together forever once they meet or some bullshit like that?"

Peter grinned, "You don't believe that. Besides, who said it was supposed to be easy?"

"Maybe this is the beer talking, but I've tried to get Rory back on multiple occasions. It never happens and I get fucked. I'd prefer not to get rejected by her again."

"Who says you'd get rejected again?"

Jess' tone suddenly became sarcastic and bitter, "I don't know. Maybe the _years _of evidence that proves it."

"Things change," Peter stated simply.

"Who even said I want her back? You jumped there all on your own." Jess rolled his eyes.

"Everyone wants to end up with their best friend."

Jess pinched the bridge of his nose, "Again, you're making assumptions. 'Best friends?' I doubt best friends go years between speaking. Not to mention a few emails here and there, this is the first time I've even seen her in two or so years."

Peter shrugged, "That doesn't stop you from being best friends. Especially when evidence proves otherwise."

"I'm probably going to regret asking you what the hell you're talking about…"

"You guys are talking again. Does it feel like years have past?"

"No."

"That's how I know. Only best friends can pick things up like no time has come between them."

Jess rolled his eyes, "Okay, we're officially going to stop gossiping like girls before we start holding hands and skipping out of this place."

* * *

><p>The next week, Jess was at the Arundel Publishing Company's main office downtown meeting with Jacob Arundel. After sitting in the waiting room for ten minutes, the secretary told him to go in.<p>

Jacob stood up as Jess entered and reached his hand across his desk and Jess connected in a handshake.

"Jess, nice to see you. Please, sit down."

"Same. How's it going?" Jess took a seat.

"Not bad. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I've actually got part of my manuscript done. It's not much. But before deadline!"

"Perfect, can I see it?"

"Yeah," Jess reached into his messenger bag and brought out a thick stack of papers.

"You said part?" Jacob questioned, flipping through the pages.

"Been feeling a little ambitious about this one," Jess shrugged. "That's why I'm here. I was wondering if some of the deadlines could be pushed back. Hopefully I have enough here for you to see where I want to go with it."

"When did you have time to write all this? Last week you just had the first chapter."

"I've been thinking about things a lot lately. The writing distracts me."

The older man grinned, scratching at his mustache. "I won't press."

"Knew I liked you for a reason. If only my roommate knew such boundaries." Jess felt his phone vibrate in his pocket but ignored it.

"Alright, well I'll read what you have here and I'll get back to you on the deadline issue."

"Sounds good," Jess nodded and stood up.

"It'll probably be by the end of the week, enough time for me to thumb it through," he stood up.

"Look forward to it." They shook hands again.

"See you, Jess."

"Bye."

Leaving the office, Jess reached into his pocket and retrieved his cell phone. He flipped it open: _I have a question that might sound really weird._

He sent his response to Rory before getting into the elevator. _Weirder than an out of blue text informing me that you have a weird question to ask?_

He got her reply as he stepped out of the elevator. _Always so evasive. But seriously._

_Shoot._

A second later he was getting a phone call, "I was really getting into the whole texting thing we had going. There was the possibility that I could just ignore you."

"Funny, mister."

Jess laughed into his phone, "What can I do for you?"

"Do you have a roommate named Peter?"

"Huh, wow. Stalking me now, Gilmore?"

"Always," she stated in fake annoyance

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, my roommate's name is Peter."

"Huh."

"Do I want to know why you're asking? Or know this for that matter?" He exited the building and tried to button up his coat with his free hand.

"This girl who lives in my building, they used to date. She mentioned your name. And bookshelves. I put two and two together."

"Ah. Eleanor?"

"Yup."

"They broke up."

"They broke up for the wrong reasons."

"Rory, she likes some other guy. That's as good enough a reason to end a relationship that I know of."

"She does not."

"Doesn't what?"

"Doesn't like some other guy."

"I feel like we're going in circles here, Rory. Tell me what you know and I'll listen, then reply."

"Okay, well she came over last week and we were talking. She told me she started freaking out that he was never going to propose so she made up this guy because she came across the extreme case of insanity, and I was thinking we could get them back together."

"You're meddling," he smirked.

"I'm not meddling. But I was hoping you'd help me play matchmaker."

"Do I even need to tell you that's basically the definition of meddling?"

"Probably not."

"And she's the insane one?"

"Shush, you!"

"You sure the guy's made up?"

"I swear to the tears she left on my sofa."

He sighed into the receiver, "I shouldn't say anything, but he's been moping around my place for weeks. Also, he has a ring. Or had. Who knows by now…"

He heard Rory squeal on the other end of the phone, "He has a ring?"

"Calm down, you're way too excited about this."

"Is that your way of telling me you'll help me?"

"Did I ever really have a choice?"

"Nope!"

"You owe me," he smirked into the phone.

"Put it on my tab," he could hear the smile in her voice.


	5. A Game in a Café

**Chapter Five: A Game in a Café**

On Friday afternoon, Jess was taking advantage of the abnormally warm February weather. He was reading on a bench in Washington Square Park with the read pages of his book wrapped around the unread. The way he was holding the book made it so that the paperback's spine was enduring some damage. It was still cool outside, though Jess was comfortable in his fitted black sweater and the air was bearable enough for a day spent outdoors.

As he turned the page of his novel, his cell phone started chiming. Being pragmatic, Jess set the book down on the old wooden bench before he retrieved his phone out of his pocket. The caller I.D. read '_Jacob Arundel_.'

"Mariano." It sounded odd to his own ears; however he was still unsure about the nature of the relationship between him and the potentate of the Arundel Publishing Company. _Formal? Informal?_

"Jess, hello." Jess could imagine the older man plucking at his un-groomed mustache, "I'm calling about your manuscript."

He could feel his heart start beating faster, "Yeah?"

"It's one of the finest unfinished works I've read in a long time."

Jess' breath hitched, "Really?" He felt like the phone call was held in suspense as he both dreaded and was nervous for the confirmation.

Jacob chuckled on the other end, "Yes, really. I'm going to give you a six-month extension on your current deadline. If you need more time after that, we can discuss this again. Though, I trust you'll have it done by then."

Jess smiled on the other end, "I think I can manage."

"Alright, great. Have a good rest of the afternoon."

As he got off the phone, Jess smiled. He reached for his book, but before he got back into it, he let out a soft, "Huh."

* * *

><p>"You wrote two-hundred pages of a two-hundred-and-sixty page manuscript in a week?" Rory exclaimed in amazement as the pair walked down the street late Saturday morning. They were headed to discuss the 'situation' between Eleanor and Peter. Truthfully, they had really already discussed everything on the phone earlier in the week, but it was an excuse to see each other.<p>

"No biggie," Jess shrugged it off. "Besides, it wasn't two-hundred."

"Hundred-ninety. Close enough," she rolled her eyes. "And 'no biggie?' Jess, you're insane. That's totally amazing!"

"It's not finished."

"Feeling ambitious, _Dostoyevsky_?"

"Not quite that ambitious." They turned the corner. "Café's just around here."

She grabbed his elbow to stop his from walking. He faced her square as they stood only a foot apart. Both ignored the brush of butterflies fluttering in their insides. "Jess, be serious for a second. Let me sing your praises." He got a look in his eye and she hit him in the arm. "Perv. Don't even say it."

Jess raised his hands in protest and they started walking again, Rory trying to get a little space from him. "I wasn't going to say anything!" He let out a laugh.

"Yeah, sure." She smiled at him.

He returned the smile as they approached the café.

Five feet away from the entrance, the door swung open.

_Caroline swept her long dark hair into a tight ponytail. She noticed the formation of some split ends and made a mental note to call the salon for an appointment. Her department was in the middle of a meeting that she wasn't paying attention to in the least. Her yellow legal pad sat in front of her, void of notes. She picked up her pen and started chewing on the end. Her co-workers looked equally as bored as their boss rambled on while presenting PowerPoint slides._

_At the other end of the table, she saw Andrew looking at her with his eyes wide. It appeared she had started clicking the end of her pen repeatedly, an admittedly obnoxious habit of hers. She smiled apologetically and set the pen down. Her eyes drifted to the wall clock. Two more hours in her shift and it would finally be the weekend._

_Seven minutes later, the group was released from the stuffy room and sent to do their individual duties. Caroline's heels clacked on the tiled floor as she made her way to her small office. Just as she sat down in her wheeled office chair, Andrew knocked softly on her door. She smiled at him and invited him in._

"_You were more out of it today than usual." The dirty blonde haired man observed._

_She let out a fake laugh. "These Friday meetings drive me crazy. Plus, I'm going out of town this weekend, remember? So I'm pretty excited for that."_

_He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. He was tense. "Visiting your other boyfriend?"_

_She rolled her eyes, "You know it's not like that." She began to distract herself by reshuffling all the papers on her desk. "I'm visiting my mom."_

_Andrew took a deep step inside her office and closed the door. Still, he spoke in a loud whisper, "I'm sorry. I just get nervous when go back there. You left it kind of unfinished."_

"_Babe, he and I had broken up way before I met you. I don't know what you worry about. It's a big city either way. It's not like I'm going to run into him."_

Caroline blinked slowly, "Jess, hi."

Rory looked over at Jess who seemed to be frozen. Her eyes darted between him and the gorgeous woman standing in front of them, blocking their path on the sidewalk. Another moment passed and Rory offered the woman a smile, "Hi, I'm Rory."

Caroline turned her attention away from Jess, "Hey. Caroline. You're the one who wrote that article, right?" She asked even though she already knew the answer.

"Oh, yeah. I did." Rory started to blush and looked back at Jess who looked like he was finally ready to say something.

He looked at Rory, "Go grab us a table, I'll be there in a minute."

She wanted to reach out for his hand and give it a reassuring squeeze but instead just nodded and headed into the coffee shop, waving awkwardly at Caroline. Rory had never really seen Jess like that around a girl before. He was usually so nonchalant, he was always so sure of himself. Or at least he made it seem like he was.

Rory sat down at a table away from the window so she wouldn't be tempted to stare at the proceedings going on outside. From her seat, she could still see them. Sighing, she switched to the seat on the other side of the table. With her back now away from the window, she took out a book. When the waitress walked by, she ordered a coffee.

Outside, Jess took a deep breath. "Caroline, what a pleasure." His lips remained in a straight line, no hint of a smile or even a smirk.

"Jess, please don't act this way…" her voice was pleading.

He raked a hand through his already unruly hair. "You're kinda interrupting something here," he gestured toward the coffee shop, "S'pose we can just pretend we never saw each other?"

Caroline took a quick glance inside as a physical reminder that Rory was in fact there. "You on a date?" She didn't wait for him to answer, "Knew you were sleeping with the journalist." She said it out of bitterness and winced as soon as it came out of her mouth.

He was beyond annoyed as he rolled his eyes and scoffed at the same time, "We're just friends. I told you that."

"I saw the way you were looking at her walking down the street."

"I'm sorry," he apologized sarcastically. "Do I owe you some kind of explanation? Did I do something to offend you?" He made a wild gesture of his hands, "Heaven forbid I go to coffee with a _friend_."

"Jess…we're bickering like a couple."

"That's great. We're not one. So, can I go now?"

She sighed, "You're not the only one who got hurt, you know?"

"Whatever," he waved her comment off, "I _am _the only one who seems to have gotten over it!" He was a second away from walking past her and into the coffee shop. Just one second and he could have forgotten their conversation had happened. He heard her mumble something and it caught his interest, "What was that?"

She looked him straight in the eyes, her own piercing as she spoke at a normal volume, "I loved you too."

His mouth twisted into something that resembled neither a smile nor a frown. _It just was. _He pinched the bridge of his nose as his brow furrowed and his eyes shut. Staying like that, he took a deep breath and spoke in a low grumble, "It doesn't matter now." Dropping his hand, his features released the tension and he opened his eyes. He looked at her only to make sure they made no contact as he walked past her and slipped inside to meet Rory.

Spotting the table Rory found, Jess took a seat in silence. With a clear view of the window, he could see Caroline still standing there. "Jeez," he mumbled in a low voice.

Rory turned the page of her book and marked the page with a scrap of paper. Placing the worn copy on the table, she looked up at Jess who was staring past her head. She turned in the wooden chair in an awkward maneuver to see what he was looking at. Whirling back a second later to face Jess, she could tell he was conflicted as his brows were knitted tightly. "She's still standing there."

"Greatly deduced." He put both arms on the table and started fiddling with the bottle of ketchup.

"She's staring at us."

"She staring at me," he corrected as he pretended to be enamored by the bottle in his hands while stealing glances outside.

"Is that some sort of elaborate staring contest?" Rory tried to joke, "You two are kinda far away. Except you're trying to pretend you're not looking…and I bet you couldn't even notice if she, uh, blinked…" she trailed as she saw panic seep into his pupils; he obviously wasn't paying attention to her. "What is it, Jess?"

His voice came out in a husky whisper, "She's coming inside."

In Rory's own rush of panic, she moved her arms toward the middle of the table, fumbling the ketchup bottle out of Jess' hands and replaced the sticky object with her two hands. They would both be lying if they said the contact didn't send a jolt through their skin and provide a slight tingling sensation. Jess shot her a confused look, but that expression dropped when Rory smiled wildly and let out a full laugh as if he had just said the funniest thing.

He tried his best to suppress an eye roll, but the smile that played at his lips was genuine. Just as Caroline was only feet away, the waitress intercepted her path and gave Rory her coffee. "Anything for you?" she asked Jess.

Jess looked up at the young girl, "I'll have the same." With a mischievous sparkle in his eye, he spoke to Rory, "Want anything else, _baby_?" Jess cooed the endearment as an afterthought while he started to rub the backs of Rory's hands with the pads of his thumbs in a distorted circular motion. _Game on_.

Rory's eyes widened before she sloppily gained her composure and offered Jess a sweet smile, "The coffee will be just fine, _sweetheart_." Her voice came off terse and she gave one of his hands a tight squeeze.

He gazed back at the waitress, "Just the coffee then."

"One coffee, coming up!" The girl stuck her unused order pad back into a pocket on the front of her apron and placed her pen behind her ear before jaunting off.

Jess glanced back at Rory as he pretended he didn't know Caroline was now standing by their table, "So…this thing between you and me. You happy?" There was some sort of true nervousness coming out of his voice that Rory caught on to but within a second convinced herself she was imagining.

"Very happy." She removed one hand from his and began to absently trail patterns with a light touch of her index finger on his left forearm. He could feel goose bumps start to surface. Her glance moved away from the actions of her hand and shot back up to look him in the eye, "You?"

He smirked, "There are a few things I would change."

"Oh yeah?" Rory was smiling, "What are they?" She placed her right hand back in his palm in the center of the table.

Their eyes were now both locked, smiles gracing each of their features in a lovely manner. In the time since the waitress walked off, Jess and Rory's ruse seemed to create a bubble shared by only the two of them and both honestly forgot Caroline was even there. That is, until the raven-haired woman made one of those coughs that really wasn't a cough at all but a noise to interrupt the shared moment.

Rory broke the gaze first. The look she shot Caroline did nothing to abandon the fact that she was disgruntled by the woman's interruption, "Hi."

Caroline fiddled with her hair and looked at Jess, "Sorry for interrupting. I was just, um, tired of ending things so bad with you so I thought I'd…I don't know what I was thinking. I've moved on…and uh," she tucked the strand she was playing with behind her ear, "I guess you've moved on too. I guess I just don't want you to hate me anymore."

Jess blinked slowly, gathering his response. "I never hated you." In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but think that maybe he hated her a little for interrupting whatever was happening with him and Rory a second earlier.

Caroline looked between Jess and Rory whose hands were still joined together on top of the table. Her voice came out small, "You said you two were just friends."

"I recall you have a boyfriend, so if she and I are friends or more than friends, I don't think it concerns you. I'm sure as hell not going to tell _you _about it."

"I…"

"Being jealous like that? It makes no sense Caroline."

Caroline let out a heavy sigh, "You're right. I'm sorry…"

Rory, annoyed that Caroline was acting like she wasn't there, chose that moment to speak up, "I think you should go now."

Caroline looked at Rory, "I'm so sorry, Rory. You must think I'm totally insane."

"No. Believe me, I understand." Her thoughts flashed to when she found out Dean was dating Lindsay and the bubbling of jealousy she felt even though she was with Jess at the time.

"Okay," she tried to smile. "Bye, Rory. Bye, Jess."

Jess was the only one to reply, "Bye, Caroline." There was something very final about the statement as Caroline nodded and left the café.

The waitress came by and gave Jess his coffee.

When Rory looked back at Jess, she was surprised to find he had an amused look on his face, "That wasn't obvious at all."

"Shut up! I panicked!" She took her hands back and set them in her lap.

"There was a complete one-eighty between us standing out there and us being in here. She saw you turn around while she was still outside. And then you start laughing like a maniac as soon as you know she's inside. You know, I'd like to believe it, but I'm really not that funny," he chuckled.

"If I said you were, just so you would drop this, would it goad your ego too much?"

He shook his head, "Probably not."

"She's actually jealous of me!" Rory announced proudly with an excited smile.

"Who's smug now?"

She didn't answer him and picked up her coffee for the first time, "Yuck, cold."

"Get another one."

"You're so smart, who would have known!" She eyed his mug of fresher brew.

Rolling his eyes, he pushed it toward her, "Hate this stuff anyway."

"Why'd you order it then?" She took a sip of his coffee and seemed pleased.

"I was playing along," he noted casually.

"I was going for a 'this is a nervous first date' vibe. Your making it like we're in a serious relationship with your terms of endearment and serious questions is nowhere close to 'playing along.' It's more like daring me to push some boundaries."

His smirk was as big as a grin, "You started it."

"I told you, I panicked!"

"I officially like it when you panic," he let it slip without thinking.

Rory spoke softly, "Jess…" The conversation took a sharp turn from playful banter to serious conversation.

"Forget it," he waved his hand.

"No, let me finish," she paused before deciding to be brave. "I, uh…felt something."

"You felt something," he repeated.

She shot him an annoyed glance, "You'd make a great parrot."

"Sorry." Rory crossed her arms on the table and set her head on top, looking down and blocking out all light. She said something, but he couldn't hear, "What?"

She lifted her head, "What the hell is wrong with us?"

He shrugged, "It's you and me. That's what's wrong with us."

She smiled softly, "Here we are, supposed to be seeing how we can get Eleanor and Peter back together, and we don't even have our own stuff together. Talk about irony."

"I like irony," he tried to make her feel better.

"Jess…"

"We'll figure us out."

"Okay."

"_Soon_." It sounded almost like a promise.

She smiled, "Now about those two…"

* * *

><p>As Jess walked into his apartment, he was determined. "Humphries, get the hell off my fucking couch and go get Eleanor back." After Rory and his coffee 'date', they went their separate ways with mutterings about an article that needed to be written and some proofing of an unfinished chapter that led to an awkward parting considering the heaviness that occurred in the café.<p>

"She doesn't want me."

"Did it ever occur to you that just maybe she wanted a commitment and thought you weren't going to give it to her?"

"What are you talking about?"

"A ring. That fucking ring that you have and she never knew about. She just spent the last seven years of her life with you, and she thought 'Well he hasn't fucking proposed yet,' maybe I should bail.'"

"When did you talk to her?" Peter was remaining relatively calm for how Jess just waltzed in and started yelling at him. "Was it before or after she fell for Mr. IT-guy?"

"She told me she felt like she had waited too long before you guys broke up and that she was scared."

"Doesn't answer my question, Jess."

"There is no other guy, Pete."

His interest finally peaked, "There's no other guy? Why would she say there was a guy?"

"She was scared," he shrugged it off like it was normal. "Get her back before it's too late."

For the first time in weeks, Peter grinned. "You're serious?"

"No, I just felt like yelling at you," Jess remarked sarcastically. Peter grabbed his shoes and slipped the left one on without tying the laces and nearly hopped to the door while putting on the right. "Advice before you go?" Jess blocked the door.

"Shoot."

"Might want to consider grabbing that ring."

"Propose?"

"Shower first. Probably wise."

"We haven't even been together for a month. Wouldn't it be kinda weird?"

"Seven years trumps one month. Plus it's the only way she'll know you're serious."

"Okay, okay. Shower. Then propose. Unexpected day."

"Very unexpected day," Jess mumbled to himself.

Walking toward the bathroom, "Hey, Jess?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you over Caroline?"

"What?"

"Do you have feelings for Caroline anymore?"

Jess raked a hand through his hair, "Honestly?"

"Please."

"Not for awhile. Not like that."

"How about Rory?"

Jess swallowed. "Rory's complicated..."

Peter nodded knowingly, "Take your own advice. You're being a fucking hypocrite."

* * *

><p>Jess called her as he stood outside her apartment, his heart pounding to the point where it felt as if it were going to pounce out of his chest. Peter's words struck something inside him. He tried to ignore it, but nothing would distract him. The thought came from the abyss, gaining speed as it bounced around in his frontal cortex, expanding and engulfing him until even the most basic functions became difficult. That's when he suddenly found himself on her block. When she answered, he asked if she was home. "Come outside for a minute." She told him she'd be down in a second and the line disconnected.<p>

He had to make a distinct effort to remember to breathe. Rory's breaths were staggered as she had nearly run down three flights of stairs. "Is something wrong?"

He looked into her eyes: He could see the world lodged deep into spheres so distinct that they had an overwhelming power against him. His mind was everywhere, moving at a pace too fast for him to realize only mere seconds had passed. He reached out and touched her elbow, a small gesture but one of great significance. He watched as her eyes widened slightly (_ever-so-slightly_) at the contact. Still, he felt frozen in time.

"Jess, was is it?" The sound in her voice was only enough not to be considered a whisper. He watched as her eyes drifted to her elbow where his hand was still located. There was no pressure, just contact. "Jess?" She repeated his name and he couldn't imagine anything that sounded so sweet.

"Do you ever think about me?" He was going to leave it at that but as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion he continued as his hand started to drift along her arm. The coarse wool of her cardigan was scratchy. "I mean us. Before." Gesturing with his other hand he tried to get his point across without actually saying the words. _When we were together, when both of us still hadn't managed to fuck up_.

She didn't notice, her gaze still fixed on his hand and the haphazard patterns he was tracing. After a few seconds, she met his glance once more. His eyes revealed his walls were down; he was (_finally_) ready to be completely honest. "Yeah, sometimes," she admitted.

He took a step closer to her, "When we're…after we hang out and you go back in there…" He took a breath. He couldn't forget to breathe, "How do you remember me?"

Her expression was confused again, "What do you mean?"

He dropped his hand from her arm and he watched her visibly shudder at the loss of contact. "Do you remember me how I was back then, or how I am now?"

The confusion dropped from her features and she reclaimed his hand, holding it steadily in her own. "They're both the same person." She felt his muscles tighten, knowing she needed to elaborate or else he'd think everything he had done to better himself (_for her_) would have been for nothing. She took a breath and searched his eyes one last time before diving in. "You're different, but you're still the same." She paused, gathering her courage, "You're still the same Jess I fell in love with." She gave his hand a tight squeeze.

"Love, huh?" His teasing tone returned if only to buffer his own insecurities in case she was still referring to the past: A past that didn't necessarily have to meld with the present, _a future_.

She clasped his other hand with hers and looked straight at him. Years of hurt had been healed by the passing of time and she was ready. "I am so lucky to have you back in my life. A new you, but the essence of everything I fell for back then, it's still there. And I don't know when it happened but –"

Her sentence was interrupted when his lips pressed against hers. In the dimming light of the day, lips were tugged at with other lips as arms began to roam. It was a sight more appropriate in a more private setting. However, under the shadow of the city's varied architecture while the sun could be seen setting in the cracks of its grid, the moment was perfect and neither Jess nor Rory cared about any lingering stares that might come upon them.


	6. A Visit to Stars Hollow

**Chapter Six: A Visit to Stars Hollow **

"_I should probably figure out where Adam went," Rory announced. Their conversation hadn't been awkward. That fact alone was what made it, in a weird way, uncomfortable. This was Rory and Jess of old–friends talking about things that didn't necessarily matter, two people just enjoying one another's company. The ease with which they dropped into such familiar ground was astounding._

"_Well, he's been creepily standing in that corner staring at us for the last twenty minutes, if you're wondering." Jess nudged his head toward the inn's library. He widened his eyes, "You know, doing that thing where you try to make it seem that you're being really nonchalant, but really over thinking everything to the point that you might as well get a giant neon sign in the shape of an arrow installed to shout 'Look at me!'" Almost rambling, he added a small hand gesture for finesse. Rory started to turn around to look but Jess stopped her, "Don't! He's trying really hard not to be seen. I should get him one of those plastic badges kids use. He could be the next Roderick Alleyn!"_

_Rory rolled her eyes as she tried to keep back a smile, "I should probably…" She motioned toward Adam who she assumed was standing somewhere behind her._

_Jess nodded his head in understanding, "Okay."_

"_Say goodbye before you leave, okay?"_

"_I will."_

_Turning around, she saw that Adam really was standing in a corner of the library. She also noticed him attempt to look busy just as she looked over. She quickly glanced back at Jess and stated with a combination of excitement and surprise, "We _do _have ourselves a Sherlock!"_

"_You think I'd make these things up? I'm hurt." Jess gave her a teasing look._

_Rory shook her head and smiled, "I'll talk to you later, Jess."_

"_Later, Rory."_

_Rory walked up to Adam, "Adam, hey! You should have said something. I thought you were still on the phone. I wouldn't have let you just stand here by yourself if I had known."_

"_You two looked like you were having fun, I didn't want to intrude." He raked a hand through his already disheveled dirty blonde hair._

"_You wouldn't have been intruding. We were just talking. I invited you, remember? Some might say that means I wanted to spend my time here with you." She wrapped her arms around his waist._

_Adam's demeanor peaked, "I'll remember that next time."_

"_You better, mister!" Rory looked him straight in the eyes before going in for a quick peck on the lips._

_Adam moved Rory's arms and grabbed both of her hands so that each was in one of his. "So….you and Jess?"_

_Rory swallowed. "It's over. It's been over for what…six years now? And if you didn't notice, I'm here with you. That's it, end of story. I swear, he's just an old friend."_

"_Okay."_

_Rory bit her lip, "You do believe me, don't you?"_

"_I have no reason not to."_

"_Good!" She kissed him again, this time letting it linger for a moment longer._

"_There's something I've been meaning to tell you."_

_Rory suddenly looked worried, "Something bad?"_

_Adam laughed, "I hope not!"_

_She smiled, "Okay, tell me!"_

_Adam quickly scanned the room. Everyone was talking to one another, not paying attention to him and Rory in the corner. His eyes settled on Jess who was sitting in the dining room where Rory had talked to him only a few minutes before, now with a book in his hands. He looked back to Rory, "I love you."_

_Stunned, Rory's eyes widened. It took her nearly thirty seconds before she managed to sputter out a response. "You love me?"_

* * *

><p>Moments later, a taxi's horn blared somewhere off in the distance. They broke apart, the spell almost broken. <em>Almost. <em>Lips and arms disconnected as Rory and Jess stood facing each other. Jess rested his head against Rory's, the points of their noses almost touching as they caught their breaths. The spell that they were enamored in had not gone away. He reached down to take each of her hands in his own. The gesture was simple. Rory spoke first, "Probably and inappropriate place to be doing this."

"What are we doing exactly?" He looked down at their hands. Weaving and un-weaving their fingers together as if to engrain the motion in his memory. _Just in case this might be a fluke_.

"You're really asking me that?" Rory asked coyly, forcing Jess to look directly in her eyes. Her features expressed a reverie that calmed him. _She was smiling_. Rory disengaged their foreheads and dragged Jess to sit next to her as she lowered herself on the apartment building's stoop. They sat at an angle so that their knees made contact, though that was the only place they touched. Rory's arms were looped around her legs in a half-hug that caused her back to hunch. Jess was sitting up straight in comparison (albeit proper posture wasn't exactly part of his repertoire). One of his hands was wrapped around his other wrist where he fiddled with his watch.

"I'm just a little confused," he admitted.

She smiled at him, "Confused?"

Wrapping an arm around her, Jess kissed Rory softly on the temple where he mumbled, "It's just the first kiss in 'bout eight years where you didn't pull away." She turned her head and looked at him horrified. He couldn't keep back a growing smirk. "Kidding. Still, forgive me if I'm lost here."

"You're an ass." Rory narrowed her eyes in a half-hearted withering stare. "For the record though, at Truncheon, I didn't want to…pull away I mean."

"You made that clear," he stated tersely.

Her smile dropped as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear that a slight breeze had just knocked loose. His arm was still draped over her shoulder. "Jess, I…I never really got the chance to explain that whole situation."

"You don't have to." He gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"That conversation is getting kind of stale, isn't it?"

He nodded slightly, "Yeah. Maybe."

She twitched nervously. "So...I started this pot of coffee right before you called and it's getting kinda cold out here, so, um, could we go inside to continue this conversation?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Trying to seduce me, Gilmore?"

Her smile returned at his teasing, "That probably sounded like a line, but I promise, no funny business. Just talking."

"Wow, Rory. That's exactly what a guy wants to hear." Jess did nothing to hide his apparent sarcasm.

She narrowed her eyes, "Going inside now. You can come if you want." They stood up together. Jess moved his arm from her shoulder to the small of her back. "And I know, dirty," she rolled her eyes.

"Didn't say anything," he chuckled.

"Thinking it counts just as much," she informed him.

* * *

><p>After a thirty-second tour of her apartment, Jess and Rory settled on her couch with two mugs of coffee. She poured it for him before remembering he didn't exactly like the stuff but he told her could use the caffeine. She ignored an inappropriate comment from him about what he needed the energy for.<p>

"So… we should talk?" Rory asked.

Jess shrugged, "Talking can be overrated." He leaned over her, placing a hand on her opposite hip. "Yeah, I decided talking is _very _overrated..." He kissed her under the jaw. "We can just continue…" His mouth moved from her jaw to the corner of her mouth in a trail of kisses as his hand teased the exposed skin between her sweater and jeans.

The noise of the city seemed to be blocked by the sheer curtain that covered the living room window. The world they now shared was completely separated by the gridlock that was happening outside.

"Jess…"

"Mhmm?" he questioned as his mouth was attached to the nape of her neck. His tongue began a journey to her clavicle.

Slowly he steadied both of them to a horizontal position. Though Jess hovered over Rory, he didn't put any weight on her. "Jess…" she repeated.

His mouth disengaged from her peppery skin as he looked directly at her, hardly attempting to displace his grin. "Sorry."

She smiled at him, "No, don't apologize…really, you shouldn't be…" She forgot why she was interrupting him.

"What is it?" It came out in a concerned but husky whisper. Rory just shook her head in a response as she began to reach underneath Jess' T-shirt. The pads of her fingers began to trace mindless patterns up to his chest with the slightest amounts of contact. Jess remained stationary, and an amused look graced his features as he watched her. She was fully focused. "Having fun?"

Her eyes quickly made contact with his. They were still narrowed in concentration. "Almost."

"Almost?" He cocked his head to the side.

"Yup. Almost."

Jess chuckled. "Anything I can do to move us away from this 'almost' monologue we've got going here?"

She pretended to think about it. "Hmmm…you can take off your shirt."

"My shirt? That all?"

She bobbed her head and smirked. "For now."

"Huh."

* * *

><p>"Hey, sweets!" Lorelai twirled around on the stool she was occupying at Luke's. "Was I expecting you?"<p>

"Not unless you developed psychic powers in the last few months. This was pretty spur of the moment," Rory panned.

"Ooh, you sound serious!" Lorelai turned back toward Luke as Rory moved to the unoccupied stool next to her, "Lucas, didn't she sound serious?"

"I am not getting involved." He wiped his hands on a dishrag, "Can I get you anything, Rory?"

"Just coffee, please." She paused. "And a cheeseburger—oh, and cheese fries! You know what? You better add an order of onion rings just to be safe."

His eyes rolled toward his wife, "_This_ definitely still belongs to you."

Lorelai snaked her arms toward Rory and gave her daughter's hand a squeeze. "And mommy is oh, so proud!" She cleared her throat, "I'd like to thank the Academy—"

Rory cut her off, "Mom, I have to tell you something."

"Something that can't wait?"

"No, not really…"

"Can we talk about it in here, or…?"

"Outside, preferably." Rory glanced around at the occupants of the small diner.

Lorelai led her daughter outside where they remained in front of Luke's. Rory shoved her hands in her pea coat to protect them from the cold. She bounced from one foot to the other as she stared in the direction of the gazebo.

"Sweets, what is it?" Rory mumbled something that Lorelai didn't catch. "That was a little too fast, even for me. Slow it down Speedy Gonzales!"

Rory looked at her mother before staring down at her boots. "I slept with Jess."

"Wow. What? Going for an a hundred percent record, then?"

"What?"

"You sleep with Jess and I'm fairly certain that makes it every one of your boyfriends. Well, at least the ones you've told mommy about."

Rory glared at her mother. "Are you serious right now? That's really what you have to say about this?"

"I admit it was the first thing to come to mind…"

"Mom…"

"Well, Rory, I need time to process this."

"What is there to process? Jess. Me. Sex."

Lorelai made a face. "I get! I get it!"

"So help me!"

"With what exactly?"

"Figuring this out!" Rory was borderline panicking.

"You just said there was nothing to process. Jess. You. _Sex_." Lorelai let out an exaggerated shudder.

"Nothing for _you_ to process! I'm freaking out here!"

"Okay, give me a little bit to collect my thoughts. Let's go back in there, have lunch, go rent a movie, and we can have a little girl time back at home. Sound good?"

"Sounds great. Thanks, Mom."

* * *

><p><em>As she's telling him that she has plans to go to Stars Hollow, he doesn't question it, though he's ninety-percent sure she decided to go within the last five minutes. Running away had always been one of the things she was good at. Hell, it was one of the characteristics that they shared. Instead of calling her out, he nodded curtly. Despite it all, he understood. She needed to get away and to work out a ProCon list. She needed to discuss this with her mother. She just needed to process it all._

_She gnawed on her bottom lip as she watched him slip his boxers back on. He caught her staring and a blush inflamed her features. He didn't say anything and continued getting dressed. She pulled on an old Yale sweatshirt. She already put her underwear on, but decided to forgo the bra. She thinks it's discarded somewhere in the living room, anyway. Once she felt her blush died down and he was covered up, Rory let out a small chuckle._

_He sat down on the edge of her bed as he put on his shoes, "What?"_

_She plopped down next to him, not bothering to find any pants. One leg tucked underneath the other. "I was just thinking about how my mom told me this one time that you snored. You know, when the inn caught on fire and she stayed at Luke's." She chuckled again and looked straight at him, amused._

"_Do I?"_

_Rory brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "Loudly."_

_He stopped tying his shoe and rolled his eyes. "I do not."_

"_How do you know?"_

"_I didn't sleep much last night, thereby you wouldn't know if I snored."_

_A look of concern flashed across Rory's features. "You didn't sleep well?" She pouted ever so slightly._

_She watched as a flicker of light went across his irises. He looked happy. Jess reached toward her face and began to stroke her cheek with his calloused hand. "I was too busy watching you."_

_Rory's blush returned. "That's a little creepy…"_

"_What can I say, I'm a creep. You're adorable when you sleep by the way, talked a little too."_

_She looked horrified, "What did I say?"_

_He dropped his hand and set it on her waist. "Nothing I didn't already know."_

"_No. Seriously, tell me."_

_Jess grinned at her. "Confidential information, Gilmore. You've got to earn it."_

"_Dirty."_

_Jess rolled his eyes again and shrugged, "Well, if you really don't want to know…"_

_Rory glared at him spitefully before lunging at him, pushing him down onto the bed. There, she chastely kissed him. She tried to push herself up but Jess had already wrapped his arms around her lower back and tightened his grip. "What? That wasn't enough to earn it?"_

_A smiled played at Jess' lips. "Almost."_

_He flipped both of them over so now he was hovering over her. "I have to get to Stars Hollow!" Rory whined._

_Jess kissed her full on the mouth. "Right now?" He arched an eyebrow._

"_Well, I guess not __right_ _now…" she trailed._

"_Good answer."_

* * *

><p>"Rory, I just don't know if it's the best idea." Lorelai paused the movie and pulled the bowl of popcorn off the coffee table.<p>

"It's just I've given a second chance to everybody else. Who's to say he doesn't deserve one?"

"This is Jess, we're talking about."

"Yes. But look at what he's done for himself. He's made something of his life. It was always a timing issue with us. Now with both of us in New York, I just wonder maybe this is it. This is what we've been waiting for."

"_It_? Rory, you're scaring mommy."

"I think I…"

"Love him?" Lorelai finished the sentence knowingly.

Rory turned her gaze to the hardwood floor. "Yeah…" she admitted shyly. "It's one of those things that just never went away, you know?"

"Aw, sweetie. That's because you two never had closure. You never wallowed."

She laughed at her mother. "I didn't want to wallow. If I wallowed it would have meant…" she thought about it for a moment. "It would have meant that it was over. I never wanted it to be over."

"And clearly it's not."

Rory looked up at her mother, "Nothing terrifies me more."

"So, you guys are together now? Official had the talk and everything?"

"Well, no…"

"So, let me get this right. You rekindled your friendship in the last two weeks, pretended to be his girlfriend to make his ex-girlfriend jealous, and hours later you slept together. _Twice._"

"Are you trying to make a point?"

"Seems a little fast, sweets. Especially considering you haven't had '_The Conversation_.'"

Rory looked worried, "It's Jess. I've known him for years. Besides, we'll have the conversation..." She said the last sentence with less conviction.

Lorelai looked lovingly at her daughter, "I just don't want to see you hurt."

"What's it matter if it's Jess or someone else? Getting hurt is getting hurt."

"I'm just concerned, kid."

Their conversation was interrupted when the doorbell rang and Rory had a slight suspicion about who it might be. As she opened the door, she wasn't surprised in the least, "Jess."

He was leaning against the doorframe. "Can we talk?"

He always had a gift at showing up at the most opportune moments.


	7. A Melding of the Minds

**Chapter Seven: A Melding of the Minds**

In the living room, Lorelai could be heard setting the popcorn on the coffee table and turning off the television. Her footsteps came closer to the foyer moments later just as Rory was inviting Jess inside. Rory was surprised that Lorelai already had her shoes on, her pink coat folded over her arms.

Jess stepped into the house.

Lorelai fumbled with the thick wool of her jacket.

Rory shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her cardigan.

They were all playing a game of chess, every movement seemed deliberate as every blink's descent was slowed by the tension in the room.

"Hey, Jess!" Lorelai greeted as joyfully as possible. He just nodded in reply. "I'm gonna go to Luke's," she looked at Rory, "so, um, house is all yours. Come by when you guys are, uh, done. I'm sure Luke would love to see you, Jess." Rory smiled awkwardly at her mother. "Okay...later guys." Lorelai pecked her daughter on the cheek. As she walked past Jess she gave him a light squeeze on the shoulder. _He found it strangely comforting_.

Lorelai pulled the door closed as she stepped out.

Rory swung her arms back and forth, effectively stretching out the ends of her sweater where her hands were still lodged inside. A metronome in its consistency. Back and forth. _Back and forth_.

A beat passed.

Jess exhaled, "Do you want to talk? I'm sorry for just showing up like this...it can wait until you get back in the city. I shouldn't have come...sorry." He made a turn to leave.

Rory reached out for his arm to stop his movements and smiled, "We can talk. I'm actually really glad you're here."

"Yeah?" His demeanor perked.

She nodded and dropped her hand to lace with his. She started to drag him to the living room where they plopped onto the couch. Rory let go of his hand as she sat, one leg tucked under the other.

Jess scanned the room. It looked different than he remembered, but still the same. He recalled Luke mention something about a remodel a couple of years back. It slipped his mind until now.

"So, Mr. Mariano. What can I do for you today?" Rory tried to keep a straight face.

He shook his head but decided to play along, "Well, _Miss Gilmore_, I was hoping to discuss an issue involving the two of us."

She feigned concern, "Sounds serious..."

"It definitely could be," Jess agreed.

* * *

><p>Peter Humphries was generally regarded as a chatty man (the last month not withstanding). His love of arguments for whatever reason made him the perfect candidate to become a lawyer, make his parents proud, and continue the family legacy at the firm. Despite this, he recently decided that he hated law, or at least needed a break from it. Hence he was wasting his life away sometimes keeping Jess company in their shared apartment whenever the latter was taking a break from his writing.<p>

The night before, when he darted out of the apartment he and Jess shared, ring placed firmly in his coat pocket, Peter thought back to his undergrad days at Columbia, where he majored in history.

_It was the end of his freshman year and he was in the library working on his last final, an essay summing up why it took until 1917 for the Russian aristocracy to fall. He had just thought up his thesis, something about the lack of unity among key social groups, when he looked up from the lab computers and a blonde caught his eye. She was frantically talking to one of the librarians. Lowering his headphones off his ears, he decided to take a break to watch the interaction._

"_It says it's not checked out. Still, it's not there. I'd hate to be a total pain here, but I can't stress how badly I _need_ this book!"_

_The older gentleman looked perturbed. "Are you sure you're not looking in the right place?"_

_The girl rolled her eyes, "Are you kidding me? Last I checked, this was an Ivy League institution. That might indicate that I know how to find a freaking book in the library."_

_The man stroked his chin, staying calm despite the young woman's nearly erratic behavior. "I don't know what to tell you, then."_

"_Don't they pay you to, you know, be helpful?"_

_Peter decided that this was as good a time as any to interrupt. He removed the headphones from around his neck and strode over to the blonde and the older man. Ignoring the man, he flashed the girl a smile and stuck his hand out, "Hey, how's it going? I'm Peter."_

_She raised an eyebrow and almost looked annoyed. "Um, hi."_

_He kept his hand out. "I'm Peter," he repeated._

"_Great to know, _Pete_. If you didn't notice, I'm having a crisis here and this ignoramus is no help at all." She glared at the librarian and still ignored Peter's outstretched hand._

"_Young lady, you would have thought this _'Ivy League institution_' would have instilled some proper manners."_

"Guy,_ you're really starting to p—"_

_At that moment, Peter took his outstretched hand and placed in on the back of girl's shoulder, leading her away from the older man and the profane thing she was about to say._

_A few strides into his pushing her away, she shrugged his arm off. "What do you think you're doing?"_

"_Saving you from doing something stupid, sweetheart."_

_She scoffed and placed her hands on her hips. "That wouldn't have been anywhere close to the level of stupidity I've reached in the past, thank you very much." She dragged a hand through her short blonde locks. "And don't call me 'sweetheart,' you don't even know me," she added as an afterthought. _

_Peter grinned at the girl, "Well, honey, if you'd tell me your name, I wouldn't have to be so creative."_

_He watched as the straight line of her lips resisted forming a smile and chuckled. "What's so funny?"_

"_You're kind of insane."_

"_Never claimed not to be," she stated matter-of-factly, her lips finally curving upward._

"_So, last chance for you to let me know your name."_

_She eyed him carefully as a beat passed, "Eleanor."_

"_Was that so hard, El?"_

"_Only my friends call me El. I told _you _my name was Eleanor."_

"_What makes you think we're not going to friends?"_

"_What makes you think we will be?" She retorted._

"_You like me, I can tell."_

"_Cocky much?"_

"_Only around people who like me." He flashed another grin, "Besides, you're gonna love me in just a few minutes, it's only right that you like me now."_

"_Is this how you talk to all the girls?" She shook her head in amusement, "What makes you think that?"_

"_I'm gonna find that book for you."_

"_The book is lost. Someone probably has it somewhere in the library and didn't bother to check it out."_

"_So then I'll ask everybody I see."_

"_Don't you have anything better to do?"_

"_Something tells me this is going to be worth my time." _

* * *

><p>"Jess, you're squirming."<p>

"Thanks, I'm aware." He took a deep breath.

"C'mon," she cupped his face and he leaned into her touch. "There's nothing to be nervous about."

He looked at his lap, "It'll sound really cheesy if I just ask you to be my girlfriend. Like we're ten and I just passed you a note asking if you like me. Circle 'yes' or 'no.'"

Rory smiled, "I like cheesy. I'll go get you a piece of paper if you want it!" She gestured toward her old bedroom and motioned as if she was going to get up off the couch.

He placed one of his hands on her knee and chuckled. "Not necessary, just give me a sec." He took another breath.

"You're really cute when you're nervous, you know that?"

"Yeah?"

She nodded both exaggeratedly and succinctly, "Very."

He grabbed both of her hands, "Gonna need another two seconds."

"We've got the time."

* * *

><p>When Peter got into his taxi, his mind drifted back to four years prior...<p>

_After already crossing the stage at their college graduation, Peter watched from the student masses dressed in Columbia Blue, as Eleanor's name was called. He beamed as she took the degree cover in her hands and shook the Dean's hand, waving the object excitedly first at him, and then at the members of her family who were sitting somewhere off in the distance. He had never seen her smile look so brilliant and even after three years together, he fell deeper in love with her._

_Following the ceremony, he approached her as she was surrounded by her family: Her mom, her dad, and her younger brother Scott. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and leaned into her. "Congratulations, babe," he whispered in her ear. He then gave her a quick peck on the cheek._

_She bumped her hip against his playfully. "Back at you."_

_He turned his gaze toward the Watsons. "Do you mind if I talk to her privately for a second?"_

_Eleanor's mother gave him one of her patent smiles, "Of course, honey. Take all the time you need."_

_Peter led Eleanor into an abandoned building. "What's this about?" She looked up at him curiously, half-convinced that he was going to propose, though she tried to keep back all thoughts of the sort._

"_What do you think about moving in together?" He watched as her smile dwindled slightly and continued, "With your internship lined up at the Met and me starting at Columbia Law in a few months, I think it'll be perfect." Peter looked so excited she didn't want to let him down. She tried to form an answer, but he read her face, "You don't want to." He did his best not to seem disappointed._

_She looked up at him sympathetically, "It's not that I don't _want _to. It's just, I have this rule that I made up when I was twelve or something ridiculous. I told myself I wasn't going to live with a boyfriend until we were..." She paused for a moment as she considered whether or not she really wanted to tell him. "Well, until we were engaged."_

"_Oh."_

"_Yeah..."_

The memories confirmed it. He was an idiot.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Jess was making his final attempt to stall.<p>

"Are you?" Rory countered.

"At this rate, we're going to die before anything ever happens."

"Well, _technically_ things have already happened, so it wouldn't be a total loss!"

"You know what I'm trying to say, can't you just ask?" Jess furrowed his brow. Frustrated with himself more than anything.

Rory feigned offense as she reached dramatically toward her heart, "And take away your masculinity? I wouldn't dare!"

One last breath and he mumbled it out, "Be my girlfriend?"

She beamed, "Hmmm...I have to think about it."

Bemused, he shook his head at her, "Seven years of thinking weren't enough for you?"

She looked at him with a confused expression, "Seven?"

"If we account for when I tried to...you know, get you to come with me..."

Rory let out a laugh, "Oh yeah! That was pretty pathetic."

His eyes narrowed, "Didn't you mention something about not wanting to take away my masculinity?"

She smiled, "Must have forgot."

"Already senile. You're bad that way." He cleared his throat. He was still nervous. "So, what's the verdict?"

"I think we're finally ready for this."

Jess grinned, "So, talk over?"

"I think we've established everything," she nodded curtly. "Pie at Luke's to celebrate?"

"Sure that's how you want to celebrate?"

"Other ideas?" She raised an eyebrow.

He chuckled. "Nope."

"I mean, if you have any other ideas, you should tell me. Open communication is key to making this work," she noted matter-of-factly.

Jess' voice lowered an octave, "With the celebration we had last night and this morning, pie sounds perfect." He offered a hyperbolic wink.

"Pig."

He smirked, "Ooh, pet names already. I could get use to this."

Rory smiled but ignored him, "C'mon let's go."

They both stood up, "Get your coat."

"Such a bossy boyfriend!"

He placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her toward her room, "That a problem?"

"Right now, I find it cute." She turned to face him as they were in front of the foyer, "Once more time passes, I'm sure I'll learn to hate it."

"Typical woman." He pecked her quickly on the lips, "Now get your coat before he runs out of the cherry!"

"I'm going! I'm going!"

* * *

><p>Peter must have buzzed her apartment thirty times in the last five minutes, though there was still no reply. He looked down at his watch. She was usually home at this time unless she was out with one of her friends...or worse, on a date. He tried not to let that particular thought get him down.<p>

He kept pressing the small red button, not caring if he looked pathetic.

He could feel the eyes of passers-by, though he ignored him.

He kept pressing that stupid, faded red button.

A tap on his shoulder.

Familiar green eyes looked into his.

"Peter? What are you doing here?"

"I..."

She smiled at him, "It's good to see you."

He beamed, "I have something to ask you."

"What is it?" her interest piqued.

"Let me take you to dinner first."

"Is everything okay?"

"I hope so."

* * *

><p>Jess had his arm draped around Rory's as they began the walk to Luke's. By now, it was close to dinner time, the last twenty-four hours had been a pretty big blur. It seemed like ages ago that Jess showed up at Rory's apartment and a lifetime since they woke up that morning. As they walked through the middle of Stars Hollow, time finally seemed to be moving at a normal pace.<p>

Jess scanned the town square. It was unusually empty. "I expected more fanfare over this." He kissed her temple.

They passed Weston's. "Don't look now, but Miss Patty and Babette are pressed up against the window." He glanced over and neither town gossip was standing behind the glass. "I told you not to look!"

"You think it's not in my best interest to know if my girlfriend is lying to me?" Rory's eyes lit up. "What?"

She wrapped both arms around his torso. "You said _girlfriend_."

Jess rolled his eyes, "Sap."

A few strides later, they stood outside Luke's. "I think we just solved the mystery of the disappearing townsfolk."

"Huh. Gotta love that small town charm." A beat. "Sure we can't grab our pie back in the city?"

"Sorry, bud. Time to feed the wolves!" Rory gave Jess a slight shove toward the door.

* * *

><p>"A hot dog stand?" Eleanor asked as she and Peter stood in the relatively short line. She adjusted her scarf.<p>

"You rave about these stands!"

She reached out for his elbow, her features serious. "Peter, why are we here?"

It was their turn in line. "Two please. One with ketchup and mustard. One mustard only."

A moment later, the man handed Peter the two hot dogs. As Peter gave Eleanor hers (the one with just mustard), she looked into his eyes and repeated, "Peter, why are we here?"

"Not here," he stated mysteriously. They moved to a park bench across the street. Eleanor followed Peter without question, as if they were on a scavenger hunt. Curiosity was definitely getting the best of her. "This is what we did during out first date," he said as they both took a seat. He started unwrapping his food, "Better eat that before it gets cold."

She opened the wrapping hesitantly and took a bite. "So, you're just feeling nostalgic?"

And there, with mustard smeared on the tip of her nose as she was taking another bite, he put a hand on her knee. "We're going to get married."

It was a statement that she was unsure how to respond to. One said with confidence that matched the day they met and he assured her that they were going to be friends. _That she was going to love him_. "...What?" She finally sputtered out.

"You, white dress. Me, tux."

"We're not even together, Pete."

"Let's change that!"

A sweet smile graced her lips, "You're crazy!"

"I know that guy wasn't real. I know that this is what you want. This is what I want, too. I got the ring a while ago, so what do you say?"

"Ring?"

He smacked the front of his head lightly. "Shit, one second." Peter set his hotdog down and reached into his pocket. The sunlight caught the diamond for a brief second. "So, what do you say?"

"To what? You didn't ask anything!" Her blonde curls started blowing in the wind.

"El, will you please just say you'll marry me so we can stop with this nonsense?" Peter asked, grinning from ear to ear.

Eleanor's eyes sparkled, "I've missed you so much, Pete."

"And..."

"Okay," she joined him with a grin. "Yes, I'll marry you. Absolutely."


	8. A Matter of Lounging Around

**Chapter Eight: A Matter of Lounging Around**

Rory cuddled closer into Jess as they watched _Le hussard sur le toit_. "I can't read the subtitles." The yellow-tinted subtitles maintaining in English what was being spoken in French were difficult to see as Jess' television was rather small. She stifled a yawn as he tightened his grip around her waist.

"This has been on for over an hour. You're choosing now to complain about?"

"I only just noticed, Jess." She announced sternly, though sleepily. "You need a bigger TV. Besides, Oliver Martinez is very distracting."

He rolled his eyes as he looked down at her. Her face was pressed into his chest, her eyes not even opened. "Maybe you need to get your eyes checked. All that reading you're fond of can't have done them any favors."

He felt her stifled chuckled vibrate through his torso. "Whatever. You read way more than me. If anyone's eyes are dead, they're yours."

"Assumptions are never good, Gilmore."

She yawned again, this time it seemed to engulf her entire body making her toes curl. "What exactly am I assuming?"

"That I'm not visually impaired."

Rory's eyes shot open, "You are not!"

"I'd say the pair of glasses in the top drawer of my desk proves otherwise."

She sat up quickly causing Jess to hastily move as well in order to prevent her from putting too much pressure on any of his limbs she was laying on. "I don't believe you." She was beaming, which made him look at her strangely.

Jess shrugged, "Go look if you don't believe me. Or lay back down. I was pretty comfortable. Remember, ten seconds ago when you were half-asleep? Good times."

She looked taken-aback. "I can't just snoop through your room!"

"I think I just gave you permission."

Her smile grew bigger, "Okay, I'll be right back." She sprung up to her feet only to feel his hand attached to one of hers. "What?"

"Two seconds." He tugged on her arm bringing her to his level before swiftly kissing her on the lips. "Mmk, beat it."

Standing up again, she looked at him incredulously. "You're just trying to distract me so I'll forget that I'm on a mission to prove you're a liar."

He smirked, "Nope, I'm just going to miss you while you're away."

Her eyes narrowed as she attempted to clarify, "Away for twenty seconds while I run into your room and come right back here?"

"Yup. Exactly."

"Freak."

"Most girls would think that was sweet."

"Most girls would be offended that you would even mention _most girls_ to them. Being your girlfriend, I'm supposed to be the only woman in the world. Nobody else should exist."

Jess grinned as she began to walk toward his room, "Touché."

She turned around and began to haphazardly walk backwards while talking to him, "Am I actually going to find anything in there or is this some elaborate ploy to get me in bed?"

He snickered from the couch. "I think it's safe to assume that this conversation of ours was _way _too spontaneous for me to be planning something dirty here."

"Uh-huh…" she eyed him suspiciously as she paused her movements.

"Yeah, because I definitely knew you were going to complain about my TV being too small," he panned.

"You never know, this is my first time in your apartment. You could have switched out your real TV for that one so we could watch a foreign film that _you_ suggested, hence we'd have to use subtitles, wouldn't be able to read them, _all_ so that I would complain about the size of the thing. It's possible, mister!" She caught a twinkle in his eye, "And yes I know, _dirty_."

"Is insanity contagious? I think you spent too much time with your mother."

"The whole mocking my mother thing is getting old."

"It's my prerogative. She has no choice but to love me now. Since we're family and all."

Rory made a face, "Ew, gross. Don't say that again."

He shook his head, "Weren't you doing something?"

"Oh, right!"

Jess remained stationary on the couch as Rory disappeared into his room. A moment later, she returned with his black spectacles perched high on her nose. He smirked as she was squinting walking toward him, "You look good."

"_You_ look like a blob," she gestured in his general direction before removing the plastic frames and setting them down on the coffee table before plopping back down on the couch. Jess draped an arm over Rory's shoulder and pulled her in closer so that he could kiss the top of her head. She looked up at him, "What was that for?"

He lifted his shoulders trying to keep a straight face, "Nothing."

She grinned, "You're going soft."

"Can we watch the movie now?" he rolled his eyes.

She reached across him and embraced him in a half-hug. "Sure thing you old softie."

* * *

><p>Peter's elbows were both resting on the island in the kitchen, his arms supporting the weight of his head. He was looking directly at Jess who was seeping his tea bag in an over-sized mug.<p>

"We need to plan this better."

Jess smirked at his roommate, "I'm just glad they're not planning _my_ wedding."

Rory and Eleanor were chattering a few feet away in the living room.

"The less I have to do, the better." He raked a hand through his hair. "I'm serious though. We both invite them over, they get all excited, end up spending _our_ quality time with them with one another and _we_ end up standing in the kitchen doing the same shit we'd be doing if they weren't here."

Jess took a sip of his tea, "You sound jealous."

"Your girlfriend is cock-blocking me. We should schedule days we're inviting them over." Jess raised an eyebrow, "I'm serious! That way this won't be a problem." Peter stood up, elongating his spine in a small stretch.

"That's your problem. You should establish your ground. You don't see _me_ blaming El for ruining my night with Rory."

"And yet you're standing in here talking to me." Peter crossed his arms across his chest, a smug expression gracing his features.

Jess set his mug on the counter and cocked an eyebrow, "That a challenge?"

"Prove your worth, Mariano."

"This is so a win-win." Jess padded toward the living room where the girls were discussing flower arrangements. He sat down on the coffee table directly across from where Rory was sitting on the couch next to Eleanor. She turned and smiled at him for a second before turning her attention back to El. Jess glanced up at Peter who was donning his _'I told you so'_ face. Jess rolled his eyes. He reached out for Rory's hand and she looked at him again, "Hey."

"Hi," her reply was quick and he just kept staring at her. "Do you need something?" Jess nodded. Rory looked at him confused. "What?"

Jess offered her a smile before leaning in for the briefest of kisses. There was barely any contact but it was enough for a slight tingle to move across her body. "Hi," he whispered this time, barely coherent of the fact that Eleanor and Peter were most likely staring at him.

Rory was beaming. "Is that all you need?" Jess shook his head and tugged her hand while tilting his head in the direction of his bedroom. "Oh," was all Rory managed to get out as a blush slowly rolled across her features. Jess pulled her to her feet. "El, I'm gonna go…talk…to Jess…" she trailed.

Jess wrapped an arm around Rory as he began leading her out of the room. Eleanor giggled, "Is that what they're calling it these days?"

Almost reaching his room, Jess turned his head to make eye contact with Peter as the other man was walking to sit next to Eleanor. Jess exaggerated a wink as Peter gave his friend silent applause.

As they entered his bedroom, Rory moved to sit on the edge of Jess' bed. The comforter was strewn across it haphazardly as it always was. Jess never understood the point of making beds.

He closed the door with a soft click before sitting next to Rory. "So…when we agreed to do this thing, I thought you and me would be hanging out together."

She turned toward him, placing a hand on one of his knees. The other reached to cup his jaw. "I thought that's what we were doing…" He leaned into her touch subconsciously. "You mad?"

He didn't say anything and Rory went in for a kiss. Jess reacted slowly, but as the kiss continued so did the intensity of each of their responses until both of their bodies were on alert.

Suddenly, he broke it off and burrowed his head into the crook of her neck. "Never," he finally answered. He kissed her lightly on the clavicle. "Pete might have accused you of cock-blocking though."

Rory's eyes widened and she immediately stood up. Jess was barely prepared for her sudden movement and his head drooped in the air, no longer having the support of Rory's shoulder. "Oh my god. He _just _got her back a couple of weeks ago and then every time I'm here it's just her and me talking and I'm single-handedly ruining their relationship!" She started to pace before Jess managed to fish her heavily gesturing hands with his own and reeled her in so that she was standing between his legs. He looked at her calmly but didn't say anything, certain that Rory wasn't yet finished with her rant. "And I didn't even consider what this was doing to _our_ relationship!" She tried to pull away and in Jess' attempt to keep that from happening, he overcompensated and tugged her arms too hard, her body flattening him on his bed. "I suck. I _so_ suck!"

Jess wrapped his arms tight around her waist as he smiled into her hair. "You don't suck."

She looked up at him from where she landed on his chest, "Really?"

"I mean, _I_ of all people would know, _right?_" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"How you can go from incredibly sweet to an arrogant bastard in one second is mind-blowing."

He lifted her so that their heads were level on the bed. He whispered in her ear, "There are _other_ things I can be mind-blowing at." His teeth began to tug lightly on her earlobe.

"You really think that line is going to work?" He started trailing kisses down her neck, swiftly moving her cardigan off her shoulder so that he could nibble on it. "Jess…"

In a swift motion he flipped them over so that he was now hovering over her. "Tell me you want me to stop." She fidgeted. Just when he motioned like he was about to roll off of her, she grabbed him by his hips to keep him motionless. Jess grinned, "Huh. Seems like that line now has a one hundred percent success rate."

Rory glared at him, "I hate you."

"Duly noted," he mimicked her before beginning his attack on her lips.

* * *

><p>Rory nuzzled deep into Jess' chest, heaving a sigh of content. He began to absentmindedly trail his calloused fingers along her clavicle, his lips twisted upward in the slightest of smiles.<p>

"Tell me what you're thinking about."

He repositioned himself so he could kiss her on the forehead. "My mother told me to never be crude. _Especially_ in front of a lady."

Rory scoffed, "So, something dirty then I take it?"

"The dirtiest." His fingers moved to advance the bed sheet down the length of her body. With a glare Rory strained to bring it back up, crossing her arms around her chest to stop his advances.

"No, really. Tell me. Besides any dirty thoughts that might be wandering around up there, what is _the_ Jess Mariano thinking about?"

He shrugged, "Nothing."

"I can tell something's on your mind." She cupped his face and kissed him gingerly.

Jess stared at his hands. "Honestly?"

"Please."

Sighing, he raked a hand through his tussled hair. "My girlfriend is trying to add 'Professional Wedding Planner' to her resume and it's freaking me out."

Rory sat up suddenly, the sheet dropping down to her waist without her noticing. Jess did. "That's pretty specific."

"Vague never suited me."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah right." A beat. "Is it bothering you that I'm helping El plan their wedding?" After a quick movement, Rory found that she was pinned underneath Jess while he began to nibble at the junction between her neck and shoulder. She was not going to be deterred. "Jess…"

He lifted his head, "Yes?"

"Please answer my question."

"What was it again?"

"Jess…"

He sighed and rolled off of her. "It bothers me that you're choosing to spend the quality alone time we have discussing color schemes with her, yes."

"And that's all that's bothering you?" she tried to clarify.

"Sure."

"Jess…"

"You know, Ror, if you keep saying my name like that, Pete and El are gonna thing I'm getting lucky."

"Well, if I knew you were going to be so stubborn, I'd have asked H.G. Wells to let me borrow his time machine to go back an hour before said 'getting lucky' could have taken place."

He cuddled closer to her so he could whisper in her ear, "Talking about literature in bed. _Definite_ turn on."

Rory slapped him playfully, "Jess!"

He grinned and muttered more to himself, "There she goes again, screaming my name…"

She was trying to keep a straight face, though she was failing. What made it worse was that she knew that he knew she was losing ground. "Just please tell me what's bothering you about it."

Jess shrugged again, "It's a guy thing."

"Meaning…"

"When girlfriends start getting excited about weddings it leads to other thoughts that go down certain paths that tend to freak guys the fuck out."

Rory thought about what Jess was saying for a moment, connecting everything together, "I'm not planning _our_ wedding."

He chuckled, "Well, good. I don't remember proposing."

"So that's not what this is about?" She felt a blush rise and began to feel like an idiot.

He kissed her on the temple. "No, this is exactly what its about."

"Color me confused…"

"I told you, it's a guy thing."

"You actually thought I was thinking…I mean, we've only been back together for hardly any time at all…I haven't even said I lo…now you're freaking _me_ out!

Jess let out a full laugh in response to her rambling. "Relax. It's just how guys think. Though, despite our reunion of the last month, we have known each other and been loosely involved for years."

Rory's eyes widened, "Then I'm sorry to tell you, I've been cheating on you. A lot."

"Since I've been cheating on you a lot too, I s'pose I'll have to forgive you." He smirked. "Can we both be done freaking out now?"

"Your freak-out hardly counted! You were the picture of calm."

He pulled her on top of him, "Wanna do something about it?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Apparently you've waited this long for a chapter full of fluff. Sorry for the delay, loves. And since I'm working on my thesis, reviews would help regain some of my sanity back. Just saying. :)


	9. An Upcoming Deadline

**Chapter Nine: An Upcoming Deadline**

Deadlines were going to be the death of her. Time was definitely not on her side, as Rory's latest article wasn't going so well. The book she was reviewing was not exactly to her taste. As she was reading through it, she had made mental notes about things she would say, but sitting in her office all those thoughts had evaporated into thin air. Jess had something going with the whole writing in the margins things.

The blank Word document was mocking her. She narrowed her eyes at the screen of her computer as if suddenly in a staring contest with the inanimate object. _Challenge accepted_.

Two seconds later, Rory blinked. _Dammit. _

She took a deep breath and glanced at the clock. Still two hours until lunch. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

><p>"Ugh. I swear I just sat there <em>staring<em> at my computer for hours. And you know what I finally realized?"

"What?"

"I _despise_ reading. And writing. There's so much that sucks about both."

Jess watched as Rory paced around his apartment, "You got the article done though. That's something." From the couch, he set his laptop on the coffee table. As he settled back on the sofa, he tucked one leg under the other.

"And it was crap. I hate my job!" she announced dramatically.

"So, reading is beneath you now? Jess cocked an eyebrow as if he were plotting something Rory couldn't quite put a finger on. He was presenting bait and along with his teasing, that damn look in his eyes did not put her in a position to keep from biting.

Her stubborn nature kept her on track, if only momentarily. "I've read enough in the last twenty plus years. I'm over it. The world of literature sucks."

"If you say so." Subtlety, he smirked as he shut his laptop closed and walked into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. "Chinese tonight?"

"I thought you said you'd be writing all night."

Jess took a few gulps, "A growing boy has to eat."

Rory walked over to him. "You seem pretty grown to me," she smiled sweetly.

He set the bottle on the counter and looped his arms around her waist. "Dirty," he grinned.

Furrowing her brow, she narrowed her eyes at his insinuations. Their close proximately nevertheless caused her features to soften. She pecked him quickly on the lips before loosening herself from his grip and reached for her cell phone. "Lucky Panda?"

"Sounds good."

"Okay, but as soon as we're done eating, I'm leaving so I won't distract you while you're writing."

"Or you could stay."

"But that _very_ expensive apartment I'm paying for is getting lonely. I'm practically here all the time."

Jess shrugged, "Better it than me." He offered her a quick pout.

"You've got Peter," she laughed.

"Pete's not as good a kisser."

Rory rolled her eyes, "I don't even want to know." She began dialing the number of the Chinese place down the street from the number posted on the fridge. "The regular?"

"Sure." He tossed the now empty bottle in to the recycling bin and settled back on the couch. He flipped on the T.V. as he heard Rory ordering dinner from the kitchen.

Rory sat down next to him a few minutes later. "We can pick it up in twenty." She glanced at the T.V. An old episode of _Happy Days _was on, "You're not writing."

He shot her a look. "Very astute, Gilmore. Good to know your journalistic abilities aren't going to waste."

She ignored his sarcasm, "Your deadline is coming up."

"I still have four months."

"Four months isn't that long."

"I'll have it done. No biggie."

"Well, let me read it before you send it off to Jacob. As your number one fan _and_ groupie, I think I deserve to read it in its entirety first."

"I thought 'the world of literature sucks,'" he quoted her while grinning.

She narrowed her eyes, "You did that on purpose."

"Did what?" he draped an arm over her shoulders and kissed her temple.

* * *

><p>A few days later, Rory's phone started ringing as if in a panic. It wasn't the ringtone itself, but something subconsciously in her mind that told her that whoever was on the other side had something important to say.<p>

"Hello?"

"Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Many times."

"And you remember that you love Mommy on equal terms, if not more?"

"What did you do this time?"

"Well, you see, last night at Friday Night Dinner…you know, something that I go to _completely_ voluntarily without my mother holding anything over my head…I happened to mention you, because you're the apple of my eye, the Katie Homes to my Tom Cruise, the—"

"—Uh huh…" Rory interrupted.

"I might have accidently mentioned something about you and Jess being back together."

"Oh."

"So she asked me if it was serious…"

"Oh no."

"And instead of quickly changing the subject like I should have…"

"Because she would have totally fallen for that."

"I said yes…and now she wants you to come to dinner next Friday."

"Oh jeez…"

"With Jess," Lorelai added.

"That's suicide!"

"Remember the warm fuzzy feelings you feel about Mommy!" she tried.

"Mom, Grandma hates Jess."

"…that was a long time ago…?" Lorelai tried.

"She's gonna make us break up! I don't want to break up!"

"Sweets, I'm sure not even Emily has the power to separate you two. You're like magnets that are impossible to pull apart."

"We were apart for a long time!"

"That's when you were both trying to avoid each other."

"Mom…"

"Please Rory? She said if you don't come than I have to bring Luke."

"So bring Luke to dinner."

"Are you kidding me? She'll make us break up!"

"You're married."

"Like that'll stop her!" Lorelai started using her pretentious voice reserved only for imitating Emily Gilmore. "Oh please, Lorelai! You've been divorced before, another one won't make a difference."

"Mom, be serious!"

"Please Rory, it's the last thing I'll ask from you ever."

"That's what you said the last time I did something for you that I didn't want to," Rory scoffed.

"Please…" Lorelai tried one last time.

"Fine. Only if Jess agrees."

"Yay! See you Friday!"

"See you Friday…" Rory mumbled disgruntledly into the receiver.

* * *

><p>"My arm hurts," Jess complained.<p>

"Stop being dramatic."

"I think the pain is increasing with every mile closer we get to Hartford." They passed a sign, only thirty-two more miles.

"I'll make it up to you! I promise!"

"By the time you actually get around to making it up for me, you'll owe me thousands of eggrolls."

"Which will only be a reminder of the thousands of nice things you did for me," she smiled at him from the passenger seat.

He smiled back before his voice reached a more serious tone. "This is suicide. Your Grandma hates me."

"That's what I told my mom."

"Thanks for the confidence."

Rory giggled, "Grandma loves you! Stop worrying."

"You're a horrible liar."

She shrugged, "At least I tried."

* * *

><p>Lorelai was leaning against her Jeep as Rory and Jess pulled up in his Honda.<p>

"You two are almost late!"

"Traffic," Jess muttered.

"_Almost_ late is not the same as late," Rory clarified.

The three made their way to the front door. Rory grabbed one of Jess' hands as Lorelai reached for the doorbell.

As a fresh-faced maid opened the wooden entry, Lorelai greeted, "Hi. We're the daughter, the granddaughter, and the hoodlum."

"Mom!"

"What? It's what Emily calls him anyway…" The maid took their coats and informed them that Emily was in the living room.

* * *

><p>Halfway through their meal, Emily looked toward Jess and Rory. "So, you're living together?" she demanded.<p>

Rory looked down at her asparagus. "Well, no."

"Any plans to do so?"

"Not exactly."

"I could have sworn Lorelai mentioned something about your lease being up soon."

Rory looked at her mom who had guilt written all over her face. She moved her gaze back to Emily, "Not for a couple of months."

"So you'll move in after it's up."

"Well…"

"I mean, if this relationship is as serious as your mother tells me it is, I don't understand why you wouldn't be considering it. You _did_ live with Logan."

"Mom!" Lorelai tried to interject. "There's no reason to be talking about this. If they want to move in together, let them talk about it. There's no need to start ordering Rory's change of address cards."

"I'm probably just going to renew my lease, Grandma."

"Nonsense! If this is a viable relationship and your lease is up, it's perfect! I never liked the idea of Rory living in the city by herself anyway."

"Mom!" Lorelai tried again.

Jess, who had remained silent throughout the majority of dinner finally spoke up and looked at Rory. "We can talk about it. When the time comes. Pete and El are probably gonna end up getting a place anyway…"

Rory looked at Jess shocked.

Lorelai stared at him open mouthed.

Emily pursed her lips together, obviously not pleased.

Suddenly, "Does that mean you two are planning on getting married? If you're serious enough to consider moving in together, marriage should be on the table."

"Oh brother!" Lorelai spoke loudly before placing her head in her hands.

Rory looked at Jess apologetically.

* * *

><p>As they exited the Gilmore mansion, Jess shoved his hands deep in his pockets and stared out into the darkness.<p>

"How you feeling, Jess?" Lorelai asked.

"Peachy."

"So, _Luke's_ when we get to the Hollow?"

"Since Jess and I are staying there, it'd be hard to refuse."

"Good! Because I feel like pie!"

"Grandma just fed us a soufflé…"

"Yes, but that was obligation soufflé. I feel like pie. _Pie_ is my equal."

Lorelai looked back at Jess, "I think she broke him."

Rory looped her arm through Jess'. "He'll recover." She kissed him on the cheek.

Lorelai waved her hand in front of Jess' face as he continued to stare off in the distance. "I kind of like him better this way. He doesn't talk back."

"Be nice!"

"Okay, fine." She started walking to her Jeep, "See you guys there!"

Rory looked at Jess, "You want me to drive?" He nodded slowly and pulled his keys out of his pocket, placing them in her open palm. "Cheer up, _gloomy_. Think of all the eggrolls!"

* * *

><p>"I never thought I'd see you wear a tie," Luke grinned at his nephew after he gave the group slices of pie and sat down.<p>

Jess glared at him. "I wore a tie at your wedding."

"We're not allowed to make fun of Jess right now, he's been traumatized." Rory looked at Jess sympathetically, rubbing a hand over his knee.

"Emily Gilmore can do that to a person," Luke agreed.

"This time it was funny though." Lorelai giggled as she took a bite of her pie.

"That's only because she didn't attack you all night," Rory clarified.

"Always a plus! Miracle like, I'd say!"

"So tell me, what did she do to get him in this funk?" Luke asked.

"Oh you know, the normal…She's making Rory and Jess move in together." Lorelai began. "And get married."

"She's doing what?" Luke exclaimed. "You guys _just_ got together."

"It was typical Emily Gilmore logic. Reel them in telling them to prove their relationship is actually serious and then, BAM! She tells them they should move in together and _then_ tells them if they're serious enough to do that, they should be serious enough to consider marriage."

"You two are moving in together?"

"Well, they thought it would be a good idea to live under one roof, with the baby coming and everything."

"Baby?" Luke was suddenly on alert.

"Mom! Stop, you're not helping." Rory frowned. "Luke, there's no baby. Mom's on crack."

Luke looked at his wife, "That I knew. But you two are gonna live together?" he asked again.

Jess broke his silence, "Jeez...can't we talk about this ourselves? It's hard enough being in a relationship without everyone telling us what we should do."

Rory looked at Jess, his arms were crossed against his chest. She looked at Luke and answered him, "We haven't talked about it."

The group was silent for a few minutes. After Lorelai finished her pie, she told Luke it was time to go home. Following a quick goodbye to Rory and Jess, the two were left in the diner alone. Jess took the dirty dishes to the kitchen and locked the front door. "Wanna go upstairs?"

Rory nodded and led the way with Jess' hand settled on the small of her back.

"I'm sorry today sucked," Rory admitted as she sat at the end of Jess' old bed.

"It didn't suck." He leaned against his old dresser as he loosened his tie. He kept staring at the wood planked floor.

"I haven't seen you like this in a long time. I'm sorry I put you through dinner. Grandma can be…well, Grandma." She was playing with her hands. "We don't have to worry about what everyone else is saying. I think that was the problem the first time around. We…_I_, was too worried about what everyone else was thinking." Jess moved his glance from the floor to Rory. She looked dejected. He crossed the room to sit by her. As the bed shifted she looked up at him. "_This_ means a lot to me you know. I don't want to mess it up."

"Me either," he whispered as he threaded their hands together.

Moments later, she turned toward him, "Jess…?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

She watched as his smile reached his eyes. "Huh," he finally replied.

"'_Huh_?' That's _all_ you have to say?" she was annoyed.

He brought his mouth to her ear and in the softest whisper returned the words as if what he was saying was the biggest secret. She strained to hear them but he had muttered, "Love you, too."

"Today definitely doesn't suck."

Jess nodded in agreement, "No. Not at all."

* * *

><p>Two weeks later, Jess was typing furiously at his computer when there was a knock on his bedroom door. "Yeah?"<p>

Peter let himself in, "Hey man."

"What's up?" Jess stayed focused on the paragraph he was writing, squinting at the screen through his glasses.

"How's the book coming?"

"Close to finished."

Peter leaned against the wall, "What's it about?"

"A meddling roommate who had the constant urge to be annoying at the most opportune times until to his untimely death. Full of suspense." Jess replied in mock seriousness.

"Now that's a book I'd love to read!"

"I didn't know you knew how to read," Jess smirked, still typing.

"Yeah, yeah…wanna grab a drink? On the off chance you don't have plans with Rory, that is."

"No plans with Rory." Peter brought one of his hands to his heart dramatically as if he was having a heart attack. Jess glared, "Stop that."

"You guys have been inseparable since you got together."

"Her friend Paris is in town. They're doing girl things."

"Girl things?"

Jess shrugged, "I don't know. I didn't ask."

"So…drink?"

Jess read over the paragraph he just wrote. After a few adjustments he shut his laptop. "Fine. Let's go."

* * *

><p>"Set a date yet?"<p>

Peter shook his head, "She's thinking sometime in the spring."

"That's pretty soon."

"Yep." He took a sip of his rum and coke.

"In the city…or?"

"At her parents house. Upstate. They have a huge backyard."

Jess stared into his own drink, "That'll be nice."

"Up for being the best man? I think El's gonna ask Rory to be one of her bridesmaids. So when you two sneak off together in the middle of the reception, it'll be like every other wedding known to man." Peter chuckled.

Jess grinned, "Sure, man."

"Good." A beat. "Things going good between you guys?"

"Things are good."

"Just _good_? I've never seen you like this."

"Like what?"

"I don't know…_happy_."

"I've been happy before," Jess rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, you were happy with Caroline. But with Rory…it's different."

"_Good_ different, I hope," he swirled the liquid around in his glass.

"Definitely good different," Peter patted his friend on the back.

Jess downed the rest of his drink in one gulp. "So what's going to happen with the apartment?"

"What do you mean?"

"I assume you and El are gonna move in together."

"Oh. Yeah. I guess so."

"Have you talked about it?" Jess asked as he signaled the bartender for another.

"Just in passing."

"If you want the apartment just let me know. I can find a new place."

The bartender set Jess' new drink in front of him. "Where would you go?" Peter questioned.

"It depends."

"On…?"

"What's gonna happen with Rory." Jess consumed his next drink in its entirety with a large swig. "Her lease is up soon."

Peter grinned, "Look who's ready to settle down."

Jess rolled his eyes, "It's not settling down. It's out of convenience more than anything. Her lease is up. You and El need somewhere to be. Living in New York is expensive."

"Whatever you need to tell yourself, bud."

"She's at our place more than hers anyway! It makes sense."

"Uh-huh…"

"You can shut up now."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Reviews would be kind. :)


	10. A Bittersweet Symphony

**A/N:** A bit of a time jump between chapters nine and ten; just a few months leading us to the week before Eleanor and Peter's wedding.

**Chapter Ten: A Bittersweet Symphony **

The April rain was pounding on the pavement outside. With the gray sky morning, the warm spring wind whipped through New York's outdoor corridors as Jess sat on the steps of Rory's apartment in desperate attempt to light his cigarette. It took him three tries as the spring leaves were taken from the branches and left to float mindlessly in all directions. Without a coat, Jess was being soaked by the spring storm. His increasingly damp fag was burning in an awkward pattern as he took a few drags. _Inhale. Exhale_.

Rory had insisted that since she was still paying rent that she and Jess spend a little more time at her apartment. As the final days of her lease were approaching, Rory wanted to savor every last moment there. They had ultimately decided that they were moving in together. The search for an apartment was underway though nothing firmly in place. Jess had promised Peter that he would be moved out by the time the soon-to-be-newlyweds got back from their honeymoon.

It was still early and Rory hadn't so much as stirred when he made his escape outside. Jess' own personal state was of no consequence as he continued his metronome-like actions of savoring the tobacco laced stick. Even as the door behind him open and closed, his gaze remained stagnant on the fire hydrant across the street. Suddenly, the rain was no longer producing tennis ball-sized droplets on his scalp. He turned his head upward to see that Rory was now holding an umbrella over his head. The bright pink raincoat she had bought last week protected her from the elements. He smirked in seeing the price tag still dangling from her left sleeve. Shifting from his ruminations, he tugged her arm and pulled her down to sit next to him.

"Jess!" she screamed.

His smirk transformed into a grin as he placed a kiss on her cheek. "Morning." He smashed his cigarette butt into the cement on the other side before taking the umbrella from her. He held it over both of their heads.

"What are you doing?"

With his free hand, he wrapped his fingers around the price tag of her jacket and ripped it off. He glanced at the price before looking at her. "This your going rate?" he teased.

Rory rolled her eyes, "That's heavily discounted."

"How much would I have to pay?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I charge extra if you smell like cigarettes." she noted matter-of-factly.

Jess feigned a pout, "What about for those poor dead souls soaked by the rain?"

"_Dead_ soul?"

"Hyperbolically speaking."

"I'll have to ask Gogol what the standard collection policy is." Rory nuzzled her head in the crook of Jess' neck. She scrunched her nose. "You're all wet."

"Tell me about it."

"Dirty." Jess kissed her temple in response. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

"It's raining," he answered evasively.

"I can see that."

"Spring storms were always my favorite growing up," he muttered quietly. He took a breath. "The weather actually mirrored life. _Chaos_." As his eyes drifted back toward the other side of the street, Rory was sure that something was bothering him.

"I never liked the rain." Rory admitted.

"That's because you prefer it frozen. _Snow junkie_." Rory beamed at him. "What?"

"I like us." Jess tilted his head to the side as he lovingly gazed at Rory.

"I like us too," Jess responded lamely.

He took his free hand and placed his palm against Rory's cheek. She closed her eyes suddenly and leaned into his touch. "I love you, you know." He mumbled. Without giving her a chance to reply, he gingerly placed his lips on hers. The umbrella was still perched in his other hand providing some shelter from the rain.

Only a moment later, Rory began to chuckle and moved away from his gentle kiss. She looked straight at him, his brown eyes suddenly heavily hooded. "That'll be seven bucks, mister."

Jess forced his eyebrows together as he feigned concentration. "It used to be five."

Rory smiled, "Well, that's inflation for you." As an afterthought she added, "_And tax_."

"You'd tax me?"

"Just give me a crown and call me George."

"Well, _George_, let's warm up inside. I'll make you some tea." Jess stood up, holding out an arm to help Rory on her feet.

Standing side by side, Jess placed his free hand on the small of Rory's back as he led her toward the door. Under the cover of the building's awning, Rory reached for the knob as Jess closed the umbrella. "You're supposed to throw the tea into the harbor."

He shrugged as they made their way inside, "Revisionist history." He smirked, "How 'bout I run you a bath instead?"

"Are you gonna throw the tea in there?"

"Nope. Just you." They stopped at the base of the stairs.

"Party pooper." Rory pouted.

"Maybe I'll join you." He wrapped his arms around her.

"I think that goes against the Declaration of Independence."

He shifted his hips so they touched hers, "Complaints, your majesty?"

She glared at him, "You play dirty."

"Guerrilla warfare, _sweetheart_." He winked with great exaggeration.

* * *

><p>Anna Walden, the self-proclaimed 'Greatest Wedding Planner of the Upper West Side,' stood in the kitchen of Jess and Peter's apartment. With piles and piles of oversized paper and a neatly organized binder spread out on the small island, Peter and Eleanor listened attentively as Anna chattered about the last-minute details of their wedding.<p>

For Jess, Anna's voice reached an octave that he could not possibly stand so during all the talk about seating arrangements at the reception Jess was stretched out on the living room couch with his laptop poised in front of him and his headphones placed over his ears. He was working on more corrections of his now nearly finished novel. His editor Molly had done her best to get the small grammatical errors tidied up, though she had marked a few notes about some unclear plot points that Jess needed to tie together more coherently. With a few more subtle changes, his latest novel would be complete.

The Arundel Publishing Company was already bracing for mass success after sales of _The Awakening_ had elevated after Rory's article in _The New York Times_. A cross-country book tour was scheduled for September. Jess begrudgingly agreed after Rory seemed genuinely excited for him.

A few hours must have passed when out of his peripheral vision, Jess saw Peter and Eleanor shake hands with Anna and see her off. Jess removed his headphones so that they were now wrapped around his neck, "All done?"

"Thank God," Peter answered under his breath.

Eleanor walked over to the fridge and retrieved a bottle of water, "Just think. One week from today we're going to be married!"

Jess padded to the kitchen to join them. He gave Peter a pat on the back, "Only if he survives his bachelor party."

She smiled at Jess, "You're not planning anything too rowdy, are you?"

Peter scoffed, "Don't even worry about it, El. Jess doesn't know how to have a good time outside of this apartment."

Eleanor took a sip of her water, "I'm sure that's not true."

"Rory's never complained," Jess smirked.

"Moot point since you two never leave the apartment," Peter stated.

"Exactly my point."

El scrunched her nose, "Gross."

Jess grinned as he held up his hands, "He started it!"

She shook her head, "I think that's my cue to leave." After grabbing her purse off the counter, Eleanor gave Peter a quick kiss on the lips. "You two behave tonight!"

"Bye, babe."

"Later."

Jess opened the refrigerator and retrieved some leftover Thai food. Peter watched as Jess opened up the small white box and placed it in the microwave. "So what _do_ you have planned for tonight?"

Jess gestured toward his food like it was obvious. Peter raised an eyebrow. "What? Did you want me to get you a stripper or something because I gotta tell you, that's a little too cliché for me."

"You're saying that my bachelor party – my _last_ night as a free man – involves me watching you eat two week old takeout?"

The microwave beeped. "_Technically_ it's not your last night as a free man. You still have about five more." Jess smirked as he grabbed a fork out of the drawer before taking his food. He began to eat from the box casually.

Peter looked at his roommate exasperatedly, "You really have nothing planned, do you?"

"_Relax_. Ted and the guys will be here at eight. I left the planning up to them…figured a handful of college frat boys would do better than a high school dropout."

"Ted and the guys?"

"You suddenly hard of hearing? You're getting married, not getting shipped off to a retirement home." Jess chewed another bite of Pad Thai.

"No, _asshole_. Just clarifying so you know what we'll be up against tonight."

"And what's that?"

"Prepare to get fucked up, my friend."

* * *

><p>The night before…<p>

_Rory was in the shower as Jess flipped through the channels of her television. The noise of the cascading water in the next room did nothing to offset the booming thunder outside: A continuous rumble proclaiming nature's dominance._

_Jess could barely make out Rory humming to herself softly. He smiled._

_The phone started to ring. Again and again. Jess had already decided to not answer it following the second ring. What if it was Lorelai? That was an awkward conversation he was more than pleased to avoid. If it was important, they'd leave a message._

_The tone of the answering machine sounded and Rory's recorded voice entered the room, "Hi. You've reached Rory Gilmore. Sorry I couldn't get to the phone. If you leave a message, I'll get back to you soon." The answering machine beeped once again._

"_Hello Miss Gilmore, this is Karen Giordano from the Council on Foreign Relations. We'd like to do an exposé about the Arab Spring – what it means, what's coming next – that kind of thing. We are looking for individuals who'd be interested in traveling to the region and we think that with your background in politics it'd be a perfect match. If you could call me back at your earliest convenience, it'd be great to hear from you."_

_Jess listened as the caller left her contact information just as the thunder broadcast itself once more. He muted the television as the pounding mantra in his head was demanding all his attention. On repeat, his thoughts taunted him: Rory's leaving, Rory's leaving, Rory's leaving…_

_He didn't hear Rory step out of the bathroom. He didn't realize he was staring motionless at a silent TV. Suddenly Rory was standing in front of him, wrapped in her fuzzy orange robe with a towel placed turban-style on her head. "What are you doing?" A hint of laugh was evident in her voice._

_Jess shook his head suddenly as his eyes darted to Rory's. She was smiling at him. "Nothing."_

_She knit her eyebrows together as the curves of her lips turned downward, "Something's wrong…I can tell."_

"_It's nothing." He attempted a smile but it was hard pressed to emerge. He changed his tactics and stood up, placing Rory's head between his two palms. "Hurry up, our reservation's soon."_

_She wrapped her arms around his waist, "Are you sure everything's okay?"_

_In response he pressed his lips to hers in a sweet kiss. All the while his brain was screaming: Rory's leaving, Rory's leaving, Rory's leaving… _

* * *

><p>Jess couldn't remember the last time he'd been this drunk. <em>Apparently<em> a pub-crawl was on the agenda and _apparently_ Jess felt the need to get completely plastered. He thought it was kind of embarrassing; this level of inebriation was better suited for those celebrating their twenty-first birthdays, not for nearly twenty-seven year olds.

He had his head rested on the table as he stared at his beer. He blinked slowly and started to count the bubbles that were rising to the foam.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder and he jerked up suddenly. It was a member of the security, "Hey man, you're gonna have to keep your head off the table or I'm going to have to kick you out."

"Alright." Jess crunched his face together trying to clear his vision. It didn't work. He looked around the room trying to regain his focus. He saw Peter and Ted sitting at the bar. Another one of 'the guys' (…Ralph was it?) was in a far corner talking to a woman who was wearing a really short cocktail dress. As for the other ones, Jess wasn't too certain he'd be able to recognize them had he been sober.

He reached into his pocket and retrieved his cell phone. Squinting at his contact list, he found Rory's name and pressed the small green button. It rang a few times before she answered, "Hey!"

"Hi."

"You know, I think it's against the rules for you to be calling me during a bachelor party."

"Don't care," his voice was stern.

"Never one to follow rules, were you?"

"Not really my M.O." Jess began to absentmindedly trace his fingers across the edge of the table's surface.

On the other end of the line, Rory bit her lip. "I feel like there's something you want to talk to me about…"

"I…" He stopped as he tried to get his thoughts in order. Jess then muttered quietly, "I know about the job offer.

A beat passed before Rory spoke. "Oh."

Jess switched the phone to his other ear, "You have to take it. _You have to_."

"That's not true…I don't…" she trailed.

"You think I'm gonna let you _not_ take it?"

"It's not up for you to decide, Jess!" she was suddenly angry.

"Rory, you already decided this for yourself a _long_ time ago."

Her temper was rising, "Things are different now!"

"How are they different?"

"Jess, you're drunk. We shouldn't be having this conversation over the phone."

He ignored her and repeated his question. This time, his voice was a little louder, "How are they different?"

Rory took a deep breath, "They just are!"

"Is it still your dream to become a foreign correspondent?"

"…Yes."

"You still want to be reporting from the trenches? From where all the action is?"

Her voice started to shake, "Yes."

Jess' voice got softer, "So tell me how things are different."

"You and me, Jess!" He could hear her start to cry and he hated himself for doing that to her. He hated himself more for having this conversation over the phone where all he wanted was to be with her and hold her tight and promise her over and over again that things were going to work out.

"I…I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I was the reason why you gave all that up."

"Well maybe I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if _I_ was the reason we didn't work out again. We're working, Jess. You and me! We figured it out after all these years. What happens when I leave? I don't know how long I'll be gone." She sniffled, "I'm happy, dammit..."

Another moment passed and it was if all the alcohol had left Jess' system as he became increasingly concerned about Rory. "You at home?"

"Yeah…"

"Okay, I'm gonna get a cab. I'll be there soon. I'm sorry, Ror…"

* * *

><p>Jess inserted his key into the door of Rory's apartment and immediately heard her crying from the couch. He walked around the small loveseat and saw her dressed in sweats as she curled herself around a pillow.<p>

"Hey…" he greeted, unsure of himself.

Glossy eyes reached his features, "Hi…"

He took the pillow from her grasp and squeezed in to replace it. They remained in that position, facing one another and hugging each other tightly, not saying a word for what felt like hours. Finally Jess ventured to ask, "When do you leave?"

Rory blinked slowly a new tears started to fall down her face, "After the wedding. In two weeks…"

"Okay," Jess nodded slowly.

"What about the apartment?" she asked suddenly.

"We can still get it," Jess smiled and wiped her tears away.

"We can?" her mood lifted.

"You'll be back, won't you?"

"Yeah, I'll be back." She grinned before her features faded into sadness once again, "Two weeks isn't a lot of time…"

"We'll make it work," he said with complete certainty.

"Are you sure?"

"I've got to get you a home to come back to, don't I?"

"You're here, that's all I need."

"I love you, Rory."

"I love you too, Jess." She placed a kiss on his cheek, closed her eyes, and nuzzled into his chest.


End file.
